Swiss-born Max seems to exemplify to us the values of his birthplace; self-reliant stoicism. Our ravine-trekking schedules haven't seemed to mesh of late, but yesterday afternoon we came across one another. He, stick-thin and determinedly alternating left-hand walking stick, right-hand walking stick, in plowing dedicatedly-ahead, strenuously pacing himself with his daily exercise regimen.

Last year this very same time he had been hospitalized for a scheduled surgery. Midway through surgery his heart suddenly stopped, throwing the operating theatre into a cyclone of reactive mediation, as other surgeons were hurriedly contacted from within the hospital and arrived in the surgery to assess his condition and how best to respond.

His daughter-in-law, an emergency-room nurse at the same hospital was informed. She instantly contacted his son and before long they were both waiting tensely for further news from the operating theatre. A heart by-pass ensued, as a previously undetected condition was attributed to the surprise collapse.

Max, who provided 'round-the-clock care for his wife who is no longer mobile, was placed in an acute care wing of the hospital for a short period of time, then transferred to a medically-staffed nursing-and-rehabilitation-care centre for recovery, joining his wife who had preceded him there. After three months of nurturing and follow-up, recuperation complete, they were both able to leave, and resume independent living in their own home.

Max's daily forays to the ravine, an integral part of his recovery and continued strength-and-aerobic regimen to maintain his physical health, take place in the hour or so he feels he can spare from his wife's side, while she is napping.

He was in a bit of a hurry to return home, his quotidian spurt of energy-output completed, because he was expecting the imminent, appointed arrival of a building contractor. The main bathroom of his house is being converted, to make it more wheelchair-accessible, the lip for the shower removed, among other things.

Meeting Max on our forays into the woods on the occasions when we do, we are invariably struck by his good cheer, his incisive consciousness of political events around the world, his dogged determination to live life fully appreciative, as well as he is able to.