half a life
some calculation
This Wednesday, 14 October, is a milestone in my life.
Backing up a bit, on 12 November 1995, I had a seizure which was caused by a brain tumor known as an oligodendroglioma sort of critter. (I think that is the proper medical terminology.) Two days later, I had brain surgery involving removal of the tumor. That was soon followed by radiation treatment and then chemotherapy.
At the time of the surgery, I was one month short of my 31st birthday. I referred to that operation as BC/AD. “Before cancer, after diagnosis.” I suppose I could have used BCE/CE, but it wouldn’t have fit the name of my intended demarcation!
I have pondered when the day would come that my surgery would precisely divide my life span in half. Doing the math, I realized that day would be Wednesday. Of course, on Thursday more of my life will have been lived after the event.
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I imagine we all can point to BC/AD (or BCE/CE) moments in our lives — when we have reached that “half a life” marker.
One unfortunate mention of half a life comes from some of the opening lines of Dante’s Inferno. (67)
“Midway along the journey of our life / I woke to find myself in a dark wood, / for I had wandered off from the straight path…
“How I entered there I cannot truly say, / I had become so sleepy at the moment / when I first strayed, leaving the path of truth”
Its setting is Maundy Thursday, in the year 1300. Having been born in 1265, Dante writes himself into the story at the age of 35, which according to medieval and Biblical thinking, is half the human lifespan of 70 years. So Dante realizes, in the midst of his life, that he is lost in sin; he has wandered from the straight path.
I pray that on Wednesday, I won’t find myself in the place of poor Dante. Although, I might arguably find myself becoming sleepy!
