Those words came to mind during a conversation with a woman who’s done much with her own “wild and precious life” for the last 86 years.

She was born in Germany. She lived with her mother and her sisters in a progressive art colony, which was philosophically at odds with Hitler’s Nazi Germany. She was a teenager during the War. “We were hungry, and we were afraid. We had to be very careful about what we said to other kids at school. If someone did so much as listen to BBC on the radio, they might get sent off to a concentration camp. Silence reigned.”

She married an American soldier and moved to the states with him in 1947. “I was a ‘war bride.’” The war bride eventually raised a family of seven children. She worked while taking college courses and eventually earned her bachelor’s degree at age 73.

“I have a different mindset because of what I went through,” she admits. “I no longer must remain silent, so now I speak out. I know what it means to be hungry, so addressing global hunger is very important to me. And I know, from firsthand experience, that war is not the answer.”

She describes herself as an “active pacifist” and says she was infused with that gene, thanking her mother in the process. She can be seen every Friday at the Brunswick mall along with several other people, holding up a peace sign. The group has been standing at the same spot every Friday for 13 years, ever since 9/11. “Most people give us a thumbs up sign. The ones who yell at us are usually young men who just got their paychecks and have had too much to drink.”

She’s a prime mover in Bread for the World Maine, a chapter of a Washingtonbased organization, which urges the nation’s decisionmakers to end hunger at home and abroad.

I have not used this woman’s name, as she shuns the spotlight, although the many bumper stickers on her car colorfully convey her views. She doesn’t mind, however, sharing some of her thoughts. Here’s a small sample:

“We need to affirm life, after all the killing … People have different opinions, but we can’t dismiss those who disagree with us. We must learn to listen — really listen — to each other … Politics has become all about money and power … We all have a human need to be creative, so schools shouldn’t cut out art programs … God is in everyone … I try to be true to my conscience … If you believe in something, you can’t just use words; you have to take actions … Too many people say, ‘I want this or I need that,’ but the right question should be, ‘What do I really need?’ … You have to live for something … If I can help someone, then I have not lived in vain.”

This spirited octogenarian remains hopeful about the state of the world. She knows what she’s living for and she knows where she stands. And she’s not quiet about it.

Since I’m posing the question (”What do you live for?”), it’s only fair for me to show my hand. So, here goes: I try to help young people know the power of their own possibilities. I try to help older people smile a bit. I try to support those who create art, be it theater or music, poetry or prose. I try to point out the hypocrisy and greed of all too many of our political, religious and corporate “leaders.” I attempt to figure out what it all means, while retaining a dash of hope and a sense of humor. On all these fronts, I succeed at times and fail at times. But I keep on trying just the same.

I’ll never come close to the extraordinary woman described here in terms of making the most of my one “wild and precious life.” But she’s a star worth following. And that is what I plan to do. And you?

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David Treadwell is a writer who lives in Brunswick. He may be contacted at [email protected].