BEING ALIVE AT 80

I touched a star

and kicked a clod

Then grew old

within a year.

I wrote the above poem at age age eighteen towards the end of my freshman year at university. It was a challenging year. Majoring in theology, the plan was to become an educational missionary to foreign lands. However, I made the mistake of reading the world’s great religions and philosophy. It seemed arrogant to assume that Christianity was the only religion. What if I had been born in a foreign land with another god or gods? So by the end of this first year, I became an agnostic. At eighteen, I felt old.

I had been cast in the leading roles in high school and also my freshman year at university so for my second year, I changed states, colleges, and majored in Theatre Arts.

The new plan was to be an actor so I devoted my faith and passion toward a new god: Thespis.

After some years, performing in fifty-five plays in and out of NYC, I began writing the first of 11 plays that were produced, some winning awards, and was invited to teach playwriting at The New School University in NYC. After eight years, I was wooed by Hollywood. There I wrote films (The Christmas Wife, & Unlikely Angel for Disneywith Dolly Parton). and television (Touched by an Angel).

Invited to teach graduate playwriting at USC Film School, I continued to write and teach writing – after 4 years leaving Hollywood and Los Angeles.

Ojai CA became the perfect venue for my next years. First I became a graduate student at Pacifica Graduate Institute studying Jungian Psychology and Archetypal Mythology.. Later invited to teach there as well.

After gaining the graduate degree, I was at a loss for three months, unable to write.

Visiting friends in Santa Fe while lying in a hammock, cloud gazing, I heard a voice say, The Way of Story. It was clear that the supposed writers block was simply that I was to write a book – not plays or films. The book was published and in the next few years, seven more books were published. I continued to teach writing beginning at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur and later various workshops both here in the States and abroad in Europe, UK, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, and Delhi. I enjoy teaching as each class is different because each individual creates different stories. Life was good.

I experienced no signs of aging until at age 79, I was at a friend’s home and mistook steps going down from dining room to kitchen,.causing me to fall as a tree. This later led to a knee replacement and recovery where I used a walker for a few days then graduated to a cane. As it was the right knee, it was six weeks before I could drive or swim laps as was my usual exercise.

Time passed and due to lack of exercise, I gained weight and experienced for the first time a feeling that I, too, was getting older. When I turned 80, I became aware that there was more behind than ahead ,waiting to be lived.

I wrote less, taught less as I turned down overseas invitations in order to stay close to home. I continue to teach workshops in my town or those I can drive to. I write a monthly blog on my website: wayofstory.com

I began watching and re-watching great movies and reading eclectically. For the past 5 years, I host a 4-wk. Weekly Series: Great Films Timeless Themes in Ojai.

I also continue to do psychic readings as I have for the past 50 years both in person or on the phone. Also when asked, continue to work as a writing consultant.

Other medical challenges arise that send again the clear message: as the body shouts, “SLOW DOWN.” This time I listen and gradually rest more and do less.

Aging teaches us to adapt to what is and to let go of what was – keeping all the memories though.

I am ever grateful for the gifts of the past years the friendships, my son, and that I remain, even now, alive.

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