Tina Turner: 83.
Tony Bennett: 96.
Jimmy Buffett: 76.
This Gen-Xer is still a kid to these three music icons we’ve lost recently. Nonetheless, their extraordinary music has long been part of the soundtrack of my life…and, no doubt, the lives of countless others around the globe who mourn their deaths.
Whether we were rollin’ down the river with Tina (and Proud Mary), leaving our heart in San Francisco like Tony, or wastin’ away again in Margaritaville thanks to Jimmy, their music will always speak to us – and will forever keep us young at heart.
But young at heart is something very different from “young” – which historically gets all the glory. In fact, the amazing music, lengthy careers, and countless achievements in later years (beyond age 40!) of Tina, Tony, and Jimmy show the world the real truth: Nearly all of us get better with age.
Now don’t get me wrong: Being young is a wonderful and exciting thing! But so is being older. I love that Tina had the greatest comeback in music history at age 44 and went on to become one of the biggest recording artists of all time. That Tony performed extensively – including with Lady Gaga – into his 90s. And that Jimmy was still taking audiences to Margaritaville just two months ago. I also love that I am feeling more alive to thrive at 57 than I did at 37.
Age, they say, is just a number. How true that is! It simply indicates the years we’ve spent on this earth. With "more" years come some hard-earned treasures that youth simply cannot match: wisdom, experience, and knowledge. Just like gold, we all become more precious over time. It's just that often society tells us otherwise.
This is one “kid" who has long admired his elders – in music and in life. Here’s to aging gracefully and to living our best life to the fullest, no matter how young or old we are!
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