Character Surmounting Age

Earlier this week I read an article that reviews two movies that prompted me to think about how everyday we all fight to survive. Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave is fighting to survive slavery, and the nameless yachtsman in All is Lost is fighting to survive in a cruel ocean.

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2013/10/21/131021crci_cinema_denby?currentPage=1

In the article, Denby states, Now seventy-seven, Redford is in great shape, (in the movie "All is Lost") and the cheekbones and the jaw, despite a wrinkled shell, have held up—a visual sign of character surmounting age. 

When I saw the phrase, "character surmounting age,"  I realized that's what we desire in our senior years.  Our character can surmount aging.  We want our character to be of such a high level that our age and wrinkles won't matter.  

My grandfather, James Terrell, born in Georgia.

While I want to see 12 Years a Slave, I have difficulty watching anything about slavery.  I am reading the book (a true story) and hope I can finish it.

My grandfather was born a slave, and his parents were slaves.  I feel their pain whenever the subject of slavery is discussed or shown.  I begin to sweat, thinking of them picking cotton.  I hurt and feel the beatings they suffered. My soul cries for the misery of their living conditions, yet their character surmounted their position in life.