In spring 2015, after 39 years with Columbia Pictures, I retired and found myself with lots of free time to spare. 

I decided to use that time to volunteer. While tutoring with the adult literacy program at my local library, an advertising flyer for a neighborhood group called Westchester Villages caught my eye. Its main job is about matching aging neighbors with local volunteers who help them in a number of different ways: Making short visits, being a walking partner, or driving to doctors' appointments and the like.

I am happy to offer myself as a responsible person and a comfort to someone who is nervous about their appointment and concerned about getting there safely on time. I' m usually available to stay with the person I'm driving during their visit and accompany them back to my car for the ride home. These drives also can be ideal times for relaxing conversation. I've had many discussions with them, discovered many common interests, and heard numerous extended stories of past travels and family histories.

I often begin rides by comforting a nervous neighbor by calmly saying, "I know where we're going, the most direct route, and the best place to park. You're in good hands with me. " These driving experiences also have afforded me opportunities for reflection. I've come to feel united with the neighbors I have come to know, and a more eager awareness of the aging process we all share. In living through so much time with them, I realize I'm going through the same stages.

A final irony (讽刺) for this movie lover is that I no longer need to go to a darkened theatre and gaze at a big screen in search of high drama. Whether it's a World War II-era family story or anxiety about current events or good news from a doctor, I experience all from a definitely front row seat.