Steve Lopez has long been a first-rate journalist and writer. He started working as a columnist for the 'LA Times' in 2001. He has won national journalism awards, as well as an award for creative non-fiction. Steve wrote a book when he was in his late sixties, entitled: "Independence Day: What I Learned About Retirement from Some Who've Done It and Some Who Never Will." He continued to work part-time as a weekly columnist for the 'LA Times', a job he still holds, now in his seventies. He started a new column at the time called 'The Golden State' and it's a column exclusively about seniors, something I haven't seen in any other newspaper, and not often in other media either. I love his column, and read it every week, without fail. I learn a lot of significant and important things there, and it is also a source of inspiration for me, without a doubt. One recent column Steve wrote really impressed me. This is a summary of that story.

Teti’s Story

Tá Pete Teti ar an mbóthar ceart más iad gluaiseacht agus géinte maithe bunús an tsaoil fhada.  Cé go bhfuil cónaí ar Pete i gcathair Los Angeles, tá sé in aice le Griffith Park, páirc iontach atá beagnach trí huaire níos mó ná Páirc an Fhionnuisce i mBaile Átha Cliath. Baineann Pete lántairbhe as, mar téann sé ar shiúlóid i nGriffith Park gach re lá.   Casann Pete lena chairde in aice le ‘Griffith Observatory’ agus siúlann an dream beag suas go barr ‘Mt. Hollywood’, agus ar ais. Tá an tsiúlóid timpeall 4 ciliméadar ar fhad, agus is gá dul suas (agus ansin teacht anuas) 150 méadar in airde. Babhta traenála atá i gceist, is cuma d’aois, agus bogann Pete ar aghaidh ar an gcosán ar luas mear. Tógann sé sos beag ar an tslí agus suíonn sé ar feadh tamaillín ar bhinse páirce atá ainmnithe ina onóir! Seinneann sé an t-orgán béil le linn a shosa bhig, roimh leanúint ar aghaidh ag siúl.  Níos faide anonn, síneann cathair mhór na nAingeal amach ó na sléibhte go dtí an tAigéan Ciúin.

“Fágann siad a bhfadhbanna go léir sa chathair,” arsa Teti, ag bogadh gan stró chomh héasca le fear i bhfad níos óige.  Beannaíonn sé do dhaoine go minic, mar tá aithne aige ag go leor de na siúlóirí sa pháirc. Stopann Pete arís tamaillín, agus seinneann sé port eile ar a orgán béil. Ceapann fear darb ainm Jay Miller, atá 20 bliain níos óige ná Pete, go bhfuil Pete ar tí teacht anuas, ach níl an ceart aige.  Ar aghaidh le Pete suas ardú géar i dtreo mullach an tsléibhe, agus a chomrádaithe á leanúint.

Dar le fear eile ar an tsiúlóid, Tom McGovern, b’fhéidir nach bhfuil Pete ag siúl chomh tapa anois agus a bhí sé blianta ó shin, nuair a chasadar le chéile ar dtús. “Dá aois, bogann Pete ar luas lasrach!” arsa Tom. “Luas maith d’aon duine é sin, is cuma cén aois iad, i ndáiríre.”

Chas Nancy agus Mark Kristol le Pete le linn na pandéime, agus iad go léir ag siúl sa pháirc.  D’fhorbair caidreamh faoi leith eatarthu de réir a chéile, agus iad ag casadh le chéile go minic. “Is rud iontach é casadh le Pete suas anseo, mar tá gean ar leith aige ar an sliabh agus tá sé in aon sruth leis a thimpeallacht nádúrtha,” dar le Nancy.  “Tearmann ó ghleo agus ruaille buaille na cathrach atá i gceist san áit seo, leis an bhfear iontach seo.”

Pete started walking up Mt. Hollywood more than twenty years ago, when he noticed that he was putting on weight. Today he is a thin man, in his prime, not only physically but also intellectually. He never stopped learning, even when he retired as a teacher after 50 years in that role. His friend, Jay, said that Pete has made two violins, is an artist, is currently creating animation, and is always learning physics, chemistry and math. When Steve Lopez met Pete at home, Pete showed him a gazebo he built, made of stained glass, and tiles he laid in the back patio. Pete has a studio in the house, overflowing with books, computers and abstract paintings.

On his most recent birthday, he joined his friends near his bench, for whom this tribute was written: "Pete Teti: Mouth organist, avid hiker, artist, teacher and World War II veteran." Then, those different people went on a celebratory walk up Mt. Hollywood, under the leadership of Pete Teti, who has reached the age of one hundred! What a role model Pete is, leading us all by example!

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