I’m 72 years old and number 72 on the periodic element table is Hafnium (Hf). I’d never heard of it, so I looked it up and read that it’s a lustrous, shiny, silvery metal that resists corrosion. I like it! That gives such rich meaning to the phrase “I’m in my element.” Now that I know, I will make a point to consciously, deliberately live my life with that awareness. I am hafnium. I will shine; I’ll not let rust corrode my life.

Where is this coming from? I’m not generally interested in science and minerals and such, but this comes from one of my favorite authors, Oliver Sacks, a British neurologist and bestselling author. I am fascinated with the way he took his medical and neurological knowledge and experience and put it into engaging books and stories. He is probably best known for his 1973 book Awakenings, which was turned into a movie in 1990.  

Sacks passed away in 2015, but before he did, he left us some final thoughts in a book: Gratitude. It’s a small 5×7 inch book, just four chapters, just 45 pages. He wrote them after receiving a cancer diagnosis, knowing he would soon be gone. One chapter is titled “My Periodic Table.” He discusses the elements which represent his 80^th year (mercury) and his final 81^st year (thallium). That lovely passage inspired me to check out my own element. This year it’s hafnium. Maybe you’ll be inspired to search for yours. And regardless, let us all be grateful for all the years we have lived.