That Went By Fast
By Frank White
(Harbour Publishing)
Author Frank White is, at this particular point in time, 100 years old.
One hundred years on planet Earth isn’t something I can contemplate. One hundred anything is hard to contemplate; if I had an extra $100, my mind would likely implode.
Regardless of my ability to contemplate the number 100, White has now gone on living for a century.
His new autobiography, That Went By Fast: My First Hundred Years, the sequel to Milk Spills & Other Log Loads, which explores in detail his first 30 years, chronicles a time period over which unfathomable discoveries were made; seriously, computers don’t even appear until the last few chapters.
White’s tale takes us from Abbotsford to the Sunshine Coast, with stopovers here, there, and far between. It details such moments in his ever-changing career as a butcher’s assistant, logger, amateur mechanic, and many others.
Throughout the whole process, White shows off a sharp and often-hilarious wit that seems to have remained strong into what must now be his twilight years. It’s this sort of book that really brings the history to life and reveals that no matter when or where you are, life is best when you are sharing it with those you love.
White’s tale touches on points we will all experience in our lifetime: love, loss, longing, happiness, sadness, and the unknown. Despite his many adventures, what makes this story so amazing is simply that it’s all completely ordinary.
White lives the life of a person, like you or me, who, despite the profoundly changing times, takes what life throws at him and makes it work.
This book offers many contemplative thoughts, but one that really stands out is that, despite our constant and unrelenting grapple with our own mortality, it’s never too late.