Now that I am full of years and white of hair and the evening star glows in the sky, I know that as my life accumulates, I am surprised by the intensity of one overmastering emotion—gratitude —for my family, for enduring friendships, for a lifelong addiction to language and learning, and for my brief involvement in the astonishing human adventure. Here’s to life—what it has been, what it is, and what it will become. Hurrah!
—Richard Lederer
