How I Found Purpose Again in My Eighties
When I turned eighty I thought my best years were behind me. My children lived far away and I had stopped driving due to my vision. I spent most days in my apartment feeling like a burden to everyone around me. Then my granddaughter gave me a tablet and showed me how to use the internet. That gift changed my entire outlook on life.
八十岁时我以为最好的岁月已经过去。孩子们住得很远，我因视力问题不再开车。大部分时间待在公寓里。然后孙女给了我一台平板电脑并教我使用互联网。这份礼物改变了我的人生观。
I discovered online courses for seniors and enrolled in a class about world history. The instructor was dynamic and the other students came from countries I had only read about. We discussed ancient civilizations and modern politics with equal enthusiasm. For the first time in years I felt intellectually alive.
我发现了老年人在线课程并报名了世界历史课。老师充满活力，同学们来自我只在书本上读过的国家。我们以同样的热情讨论古代文明和现代政治。多年来我第一次感到智力上的活力。
I started writing short essays about my own experiences growing up in a small town. My teacher encouraged me to share them with the class. The positive feedback I received gave me confidence to keep writing. I now have a collection of stories that my grandchildren will be able to read long after I am gone.
我开始写关于自己在小镇成长经历的短文。老师鼓励我与同学们分享。收到的积极反馈给了我继续写作的信心。我现在有了一本故事集，我的孙辈们在我离开后依然可以读到。
Purpose does not have to be grand or world-changing. For me purpose means waking up each morning knowing I have something meaningful to do. Whether it is attending my history class writing a new story or simply calling a friend who might be lonely my days have meaning again. Age is just a number but purpose is timeless.
目标不必宏大或改变世界。对我来说目标意味着每天早晨醒来知道自己有有意义的事情要做。无论是上历史课、写新故事还是给可能孤独的朋友打电话，我的日子重新有了意义。年龄只是一个数字。
