The man who never got bored: John Swan / PFR013
At 93 Edward ‘John’ Swan is behaving like he’s 70.
It’s like he’s blissfully unaware of the 'You’re ageing. Slow-down' memo.
The retired school principle still has a firm handshake, a sparkle in his eye and purpose in his step. Although it’s just one knee gives him a bit of trouble.
And only when walking uphill.
Still fiercely independent and pushes himself too hard from time-to-time. He keeps himself sharp and comes prepared. His mother would be proud.
A voracious consumer of knowledge. John reads ‘Ulysses’ on a regular basis and stays across all worldly and neighbourhood topics.
Curious about everything and everyone.
This vibrancy for life and unbounded curiosity put him at-odds with his late wife. She would describe it as "John has an extremely high tolerance for boredom."
A comment he accepts with a badge of honour and laughs “She had zero tolerance for boredom, whatsoever!”
My conversation with John is vignette of themes across his 93 years: 'Life-long learning'. Parenthood. His passion for teaching. Major influencers in his life. Regrets. Happiness and what getting older is like.
What’s beautiful is John's recall of early memories like they happened yesterday. Childhood bonds and adventures with friends. His first experiences at a potters wheel. Growing-up with his single mother in a small country town - in a time when being a divorced woman meant you were treated as an outcast.
Experiences that shaped him remain unfaded in his heart and mind all these years later.
For John, the conversation was an introspection. Looking back on the fond and difficult moments of life.
In the hours after recording this episode, John was taken to hospital.
Thankfully it was precautionary. The Doctors said he’d pushed himself too hard and needs to look after himself better: Rest. Hydrate & eat. They kept him in for a couple of nights with ‘other people his age.’
He hated that.
Enjoy, Az 🙏❤