Editor’s Note: As you know, I’m fascinated by the human need for, search for, meaning. Von Drehle does a brilliant job of using the story of one man to illustrate the wisdom of the centuries on the matter.  The author meets a 102-year-old medical doctor, Charlie White, when he moves into the neighborhood.  Listening to Charlie’s stories, which began before the invention of the radio creates Von Drehle’s reflections on a life well lived.

Favorite quote:  

“Though Charlie was not a student of philosophy, I recognized in his words the essence of Stoicism, one of the most durable and useful schools of thought ever devised…the Stoics taught that a life well lived requires a deep understanding of what we control and – more difficult – all that lies beyond our control.  We determine nothing but our own actions and reactions.”