[David Brooks is publishing a series on his blog of autobiographical essays written by people over 70. Below are a couple excerpts from Marguerite Wolff Hessini's essay.]
"Sometimes I feel I have not lived one life, but many different ones within a 79 year lifespan so far. Having known several different historic moments in different geographic locations, within different social and political contexts, I have a sense of fragmentation, yet there is an ongoing, uninterrupted thread that characterizes my life and links it to the wider human experience."
"Now, what have I learned through all this?
Despite appearances, real choices are few in life for most,
and circumstances beyond our control may determine our options, if any.
Still, there is our inherent aptitude for adaptation, for creating new possibilities within what seem, at times, impossible situations,
and that is an incredible force we can claim for ourselves and use constructively and creatively."
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