I've never been as old as I am now

"I've never been as old as I am now". This was said by a 108-year-old man who in his younger years had been "mängisch nüüt nüüt als usgnützt u plaget" (used and tormented) as a pauper. In his old age, however, he did not complain about the past; he looked to the future in a good mood: "I am läbesluschtig, u cha mer niemer näh. "The encounter with this contented old man is the beginning of this collection of old and new Bernese-German texts about growing older, which the Bernese journalist Walter Däpp wrote down out of the terse realization that not only others are growing older, but he is, too. There are over a hundred serious, cheerful and poetic short stories for older people who were once younger, and for younger people who are also getting older - observations, encounters, memories, experiences and thoughts. In a sensible, witty and poetic way, Däpp tries to see the "growth rings of life" as natural character lines and to take note of all the "Falte, Furche u Runzele" - in the face and elsewhere - not only frowning, but also winking.

Author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the generous support:Gesellschaft zu Schuhmachern.