It is easy to assume that the years between twenty and thirty define our youth,…

It is easy to assume that the years between twenty and thirty define our youth, but looking around the hall, I see that vitality is not bound by a calendar. A man in his fifties who arrives with a quiet energy and a willingness to listen to a young brother's idea carries that same freshness. The rosy cheeks and supple knees fade, yes, but the deep spring of life can remain if we choose to feed it with curiosity rather than letting it stagnate in routine.

Perhaps the true test of this state of mind comes not when we are young and strong, but when we are older and the world expects us to slow down. I watched a brother today, well past the age where one might expect such vigor, helping a newcomer navigate the complexities of the craft with a patience that felt entirely new. That is the will and the imagination the quote speaks of, proving that the spring of life flows from how we choose to engage with others, not from the number of years we have lived.