Learn to be old...be true to yourself!

ME:  Wife, mother, teacher, retiree, blog writer....no more no less!

I submitted an article to the AARP blog editor the other day.  It was very hard to write because I was attempting to be more professional and newspaper like.  It was a terrible article even though I struggled for days to make it perfect.  I was trying to be someone I was not.

First of all, I am 69.  Who I am is pretty much set in stone.  The molding part of my personality happened about 68 years ago.  Oh I try to make a minor improvement here and there and always have.  But, let me tell you, changing a major pattern in my personality is very near impossible.

I had all the information.  I love the research part writing.  I was trying to writing an article that described the unique qualities of an organization called TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) and the online TED Talks program.  I talked about the positive impact of people sharing their knowledge.  I talked about the prestige and intellect of those who attended or presented.  People like Jane Goodall, Aubrey de Gray and Bill Gates were mentioned.  All the key ingredients were there but the thing that was missing was ME...the real me.  My voice could not be heard.

I do believe there is a lesson to be learned here.  In Hamlet William Shakespeare wrote "This above all: to thine own self be true".  I have always thought he had it so right...the rest  "must follow, as the night the day."  That piece of wisdom is as true today as it was when Hamlet was first performed.  As we grow old we need to remember we were gifted with  unique qualities at birth.  There is no subtracting or adding.  We are what we are.  We can learn new skills but any piece of art or writing will reflect what is true.  As Shakespeare would say "Thou canst not then be false to any man." I have decided to rejoice in that!

Just a thought.

b

Note:  I urge you to head on over to the AARP website and read the article about TED (that I did NOT write).  It is wonderful.  AARP, TED and William Shakespeare can teach us a thing or two.