Larry: Perseverance

Oh, Larry. We worked with him for 10 months- the client with the longest duration so far. He died just shy of his 102nd birthday, blind as a bat, and sharp as a tack.

Larry and I met three days per week, and I left smiling (almost) every time. What a mind! He’d built a career as an Engineer, and held a patent for an underwater propulsion device he invented for the US Navy. His life story was rich with fortune, heartbreak, triumph, travel, and grief. We spent many pleasant hours recording his experiences for what became his Legacy Project.

Larry’s favorite activity was “chit chat,” and I loved to listen. During our time together, I typed his experiences and, with his supervision, edited them into his autobiography. The family had several hardback copies printed, which Larry joyfully shared with his family, friends, and neighbors.

Once we were done with the autobiography, he dictated a fictional story, then another. His mind was fueled by memories, pickled okra, a job well-done, and love for his daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Stories of life and love poured out of him. His stories, like his life, centered on perseverance and overcoming hardship. Fittingly, his favorite poem was It Couldn’t Be Done by Edgar Guest.

During our early talks, Larry expressed significant trepidation about his own death. His engineering mind struggled to find “proof” of the meaning in life and death. But, as was his way, he persisted in his quest to better understand his experience. As our visits continued, we explored philosophies of consciousness, liminality, and the afterlife. We learned together, and our conversations were challenging and stimulating. By the time he died, Larry had cultivated much curiosity about the dying experience, and hope for what awaited him after. I trust that the curiosity and hope we cultivated together served him well as he died, holding his devoted daughter’s hand.