20 - Sunday, June 24, 1990 - North Shore News

‘Old-growth’ stage is
the richest, most
complex stage in life

THIS IS a lovely analogy, irresistible to someone in the
vintage business. The Vancouver Sun is running excerpts
from an article about the Pacific Northwest forests, and in
it a forester is quoted as observing that the ‘old-growth
phase, the post-mature phase, is the richest, most complex

stage of the forest’s life.’’

Well, we may not be able to sce
the trees, out we knew that, didn’t
we? We're in that phase now, and
loaded with rich compiexity. Take
any zandom handful of us, you'll
find beth learned knowledge and
knowledge earned by living. Cail
us ripe.

I came up against an example
of it that rather knocked me back,
when I joined the Keep Well
group on their refresher day. They
all come tegether every once in a

while, the governing board with
the volunteers, to reinforce their
connections and review their pro-
grams. They have lunch and lots
of time to chat, and they also
listen to various experts in the
skills they need in the counselling
they do. Underlying everything
else that goes on is the ability to
communicate the problem, and
conversely, the way out of it.

They believe, you see, that
keeping yourself well extends to
helping others keep well too.

Many of the people gathered
there that morning were veteran
counsellors, accustomed to dealing
with people in trouble with
themselves. They are familiar with
signs of depression and anger and
fear, and have subtle techniques
for getting behind defences to the
source of hostility or pain. Some
few newcomers were there, too,
with the idea of becoming volun-
teers in the never-ending crusade.

My table-companion was one
such, a lovely, warm-hearted
woman whose life had obviously
been full and fruitful. She seemed

Teacher
publishes
poetry
book

SHARON THESEN, an English
teacher at Capilano College, has
recently published her fifth book
of poetry

The Pangs of Sunday, published
by McClelland and Stewart, is a
collection of poems from her past
published material and her present
work.

Thesen’s poetry is popular
across Canada, and the poet says
she plans to continue her writing
as she now feels that her poetry
has expanded and evolved since
her first book, Artemis Hates
Romance, published in 1980.

After 14 years of teaching at
Capilano College, the 43-year-old
author will be taking two years
leave to write, beginning in
September.

naturally to fill the role of com-
forter and guide. The area in
which she would be most helpful
to the group was in rallying the
bereaved.

It was only after she told me
this that I learned from her that
she herself was lately widowed,
and had not yet come to terms
with living half a life. At first I
thought it a bit callous, asking the
maimed to help the maimed. But
who knows better what it’s like,

and what is needed for recovery
than someone who has suffered a
like serrow? How hollow for
someone who hasn’t endured such
loss to be offering sympathy and
advice.

It was she who said that sharing
her own sense of injustice, her
own search for stability, might
give her the perspective she herself
needed to get a grip on her life.
One has to admire that kind of
selflessness, and envy the people
in whose company she lives.

Most of the volunteers in any
area of the Keep Well programs
are women, because they’ve spent
most of their lives caring for

someone. Some have worked in
offices and schoolrooms and hos-
pitals and shops, but for few it
was their life. They did those
thing before their children were
born, or when their children had
grown up. They were the boss at
home, but seldom abroad.

So a male volunteer is a “‘rara
avis’’ and highly prized. That is
partly because it’s just kind of
cute having a bifurcated member
around the place. They also are
very desirable because they have
been in the rea! business world
and have connections. In that life
they were often the boss, and
mingled with other bosses, and
knew where the clout came from
and know how to tap it still.

If you have retired, and got
longed-for travel off your chest,
or if you are planning retirement,
bear in mind the shapelessness of
uncommitted days. Some time off
is necessary, if just for the
pleasure of cocking a mental
snook at the wheels of industry.
But too much of that brings on
lethargy of the mind and spirit
and leave you unfulfilled and
vaguely uneasy. Everyone has a
skill to offer, everyone loves to be
needed, a couple of hours a week
gives some shape and focus to
your life.

A postscript about the very
pleasant place in which this Keep
Well meeting was held. It’s easily
accessible by bus or automobile,
being just off Marine Drive on
Bridgeman Street, south of
Save-On. It’s a lovely, light new
space in a new court there, broad
windows looking on to garden and
greenery. There is a well-endowed
kitchen, propei toilet facilities,
and comfortable space for 50 to
60 people, maybe more if they
were all aligned. It’s in the care
and command of the Capilano
Lions Club, and is an_ ideally
secluded setting for a group such
as Keep Well. One wishes to con-
gratulate the designer.

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