The Fountain of Youth
You're never too old to be creative.
In 1968, the year I was born, the Rolling Stones released “Beggars Banquet.” More than 50 years later, I watched Mick Jagger shimmy and strut on stage in May at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, his voice perfectly intact as he swaggered his way through “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and many other of the band’s greatest hits. In my opinion Jagger isn’t classically handsome. But ever the showman, he has sex appeal. At 81, his magnetism and rapport with the audience remain evident. I would hate to try to keep up with him in Pilates class. He moves on stage with the grace of a dancer half his age.
A month before New Orleans, the iconic performance artist Laurie Anderson, 77, put on a dazzling multimedia show at the Curran Theater in San Francisco, captivating the audience from the moment “Good evening, this is your captain…” came blaring out of the speakers. She closed her show, “Let X = X,” by getting the entire audience on their feet to join her in a Tai Chi demonstration, reminding us that her late husband, Lou Reed, had been a practitioner, too. Anderson’s use of video and sound manipulation predates the Internet by decades. But watching her that evening, you could tell she’s still in the vanguard of digital art, pushing the boundaries...
I’d visited the Curran a month earlier to see Alex Edelman perform “Just For Us,” his acclaimed Broadway show about how this Jewish satirist sneaked into a meeting of white Nationalists in Queens. Although Edelman looks far younger than 35—his manic energy gives him the appearance of being in his twenties—the thought occurred to me that he’s rather young to have mounted a one-man show on Broadway.
Or is he? Is Mick Jagger too old to perform?
Short answer: No.
Creative people create. There’s no minimum age limit or expiration date on when you can make music, create art, or write. As long as the creative muses smile down on us and fuel the fires of our imaginations to tell stories and perform, we must heed the call and work.
I've been thinking about age and creativity as I prepare to release three books in the next year: September 2024, March 2025, and September 2025. Being prolific is on my mind right now. I’ve barely scratched the surface of what I know I can do and what I want to do. And yet…there is a sniggle of doubt in the back of my mind as I think maybe I am “out of time,” to quote from a Stones tune.
We place such a premium on being young, and yet it is the early parts of our lives that are often the busiest. I’ve been writing novels for more than a decade while running a successful business and raising a child. Both of those responsibilities have shifted. My daughter is a young adult, and is capable of caring for herself. I’ve also just sold my business. And while I am staying involved day-to-day, my responsibilities will lessen over time. That leaves more time for missing magical objects, supernatural conspiracies, and paranormal romances. (Hurray!)
For a writer, nothing is more exciting (or more terrifying) than the blank page. I’m giving myself permission to continue to be curious and creative, regardless of how many birthdays pass. And by extension, I am giving you the same encouragement to pursue your passion projects or develop new ones. Being creative is the Fountain of Youth here on Earth. It’s the fuel that feeds our souls. It’s also how some of us make sense of the crazy times we live in. By the time I reach my 80s, I hope to have filled bookshelves with the stories swirling around in my head. I wish the same endless inspiration for all of you. Make and create to your heart’s content for as long as it brings you joy.
And now a shameless plug: Please come to my book launch party on September 26 at the San Francisco Main Library; see details below. It’s free and open to the public.
