Dear Readers:
Yesterday morning, I saw my cousin’s baby for the first time.
Yesterday afternoon, I saw Grandma for her 90th birthday.
I asked Grandma a lighthearted question about making it to the 100-yr milestone. She hesitantly admitted she might not have 10 years left. I felt the weight of the reality in her voice and eyes—of having to leave all this behind when we pass away: the family, the birds at the feeder, the flowers in their vases, the Olympic figure skaters on the television.
This lesson about the breadth and beauty of life was felt all the more from holding an infant on the opposite end of this 90-year adventure.
Then, last night—as if to one-up me—I saw this video on TikTok:
The bookends of life in one shot, making all the more clear the whole span of a human life. We can see the incredible physical change we all undertake—too slow in real time to notice, slow enough to lull us into thinking we’ll never get old. But we most assuredly will (and those are the fortunate ones able to enjoy a long life).
May this be a reminder to embrace the time we have.
For the rest of us falling somewhere between these bookends, working to get by and supporting one another in doing so, here’s an update on last week’s post about Ras the safari tour guide.
I started a fundraiser to help my friend who I met when living in Tanzania in 2014.
I invited readers interested in taking part in helping this safari small business. I’m pleased to share we’ve raised about $400. With a few more supporters, we’ll be nearing the money needed to get Ras’s truck repaired.
If you wish to play a part, contribute to our foundation via:
🔹️Venmo - https://account.venmo.com/u/theperipheryorg
🔹️PayPal - https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/4287395
🔹️Or cash/check if you'd like to message me about that.
Thanks, and have a phenomenal week—the final week of the only Feb. ‘26 of our lives.
-Brandon