As she approached her eightieth year, May Sarton, assailed by debilitating illnesses, was using much of her energy to battle for her health. Nevertheless, Sarton persevered in her work, friendships, and love of nature, doing what she wanted to do, and discovering in the process, new landscapes in the country of old age.
I had always imagined a philosophical journal of my seventy-ninth year, dealing with the joys and problems, the doors opening out from old age to unknown efforts and surprises. I looked forward to the year as a potent harvest, May Sarton writes. Assailed by debilitating illnesses, Sarton found herself instead using much of her energy battling for health. Yet, as this record shows, she did after all do what she had wanted to, as she persevered in work, friendships, and love of nature, discovering in the process new landscapes in the country of old age.