Greek proverb

"A society grows great when old men plant trees
whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

Reading this brought me to tears today. That's the challenge in aging, isn't it--contributing to the future even tho you won't personally participate? No wonder I find such sweet comfort now in the time that I spend with mentees and with my children and their children. There's wonder and delight in the conversations and slow silences. There's comfort even in knowing that they, too, will struggle and even suffer, but ultimately sit in the shade as I do now.