Becci Bookner

Less than one year ago, I remember saying to someone, “I hope I live to see one hundred.” The truth is that the mere idea of that sentence conjured up a scene in my mind. Me living, rather compromised, in a nursing home facility; attended to by a host of medical professionals, dressed in white. Having just four walls for company, it didn’t sound like a such an inviting idea. I also pictured that life at one hundred would probably be limited and decidedly full of many more challenges than joys.

Certainly this story would not be uncommon, but Kyle Marshall Fagin and John Hickman showed me that it doesn’t have to be that way.

I had the pleasure of making their acquaintance at the inaugural celebration of the Century Club in the Park Cities. Theirs is certainly an engaging story.

Born in 1906 and 1908 respectively, both gentleman were born in Ohio and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana. One graduated in 1928 and the other in 1930. They followed similar employment paths to Texas in association with the oil and gas industry. They both found themselves settling and raising families in Dallas only a few miles from each other. Noting their paths may have crossed at some time in their lives, they never got to know each other before the Century Club event.

As I watched them talking like college kids, reminiscing about the past and talking about their plans for the future, I was astounded by the amount of “life” they had in their lives. Even on this afternoon, they were making plans for tomorrow and tomorrow and the day after that.

It is possible to live in our life, each and every day. I made a resolution that afternoon at the Century Club to make the most joy out of my life possible.  One hundred doesn’t worry me anymore. In fact, I am looking forward to reaching that star. Though I know Family Staffing will be there if I need them for comfort and great company, I hope to be in my home, making decisions with my family of what each “next step” will be.

And by the way, why stop at one hundred years? John Hickman and Kyle Marshall Fagin are going strong at 102 and 104. God bless them.

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