Larry Lawrence of Salt Lake City is our Letter Writer of the Month for November. A true-red Ute fan, Lawrence has written other letters to the paper before. When asked if he'd written essays, poetry or other things, he replies, "Not yet."
"I'm an old man, but I'm a wannabe writer," he says.
His jaunty letter shows it's never too late and you're never too old.
Utes giving seniors a lift
I am now an old man of 72. I graduated from the University of Utah in 1955. Retired, I now volunteer among my peers who share challenges to our mental health as we age. Monday mornings find me getting together with a group where we perk each other up.
Sometimes we talk about all the pills we are taking, other times we talk of the lack of excitement in our lives.
But lately, lots of new smiles are popping up when someone says, "Wow, did you see what the Utes did last Saturday?" Our mood has been lifting week after week as the footballers have played better and won more games.
I can tell from seeing coach Urban Meyer on the sidelines that he is a coach who appreciates what effect for good his footballers are having. It's more than passing excitement, more than glitz.
We know, behind all of it, are wrenching preparation and learned skills.
Coach Meyer's footballers have put a "wow" in us each week. Ute football has been better than Prozac.
Larry Lawrence
Riverton
Nov. 9, 2004