I love everything about growing old. Except growing old. But to
carry inside my life’s work and so thoroughly enjoy the company of other elders
like Old King Glory, Old Man Mosie, Old Doc Jones, Old King Cole, Grandpa
Griggs and Grandma Moses is a great joy. Not to mention the young ones like
Little Sally Walker, Little Tommy Tinker, Little Johnny Brown and Wee Willie
Winkie, my medical man Doctor Foster, my gardener Peter Piper. Ayele, Rashshid,
Marko, Anna, Lisa and others in my international entourage also travel with me without
ever getting their passports checked or fearing they’ll get turned away at the
border.
I bring them all with me to every class with kids or adults and
everyone is always so delighted to meet them and spend time together. Many of
them have been at my side these four days at the United World College in
Singapore and in every class they have appeared, happy children have left
happier. And me too.
As always, my classes are based on constant repetition, needed to
make the neuron connection, joined to variation, needed to keep the brain alive,
alert and active, tucked inside. The same thing one hundred different ways. And
so I’m looking for ways to say the same things 100 different ways, the constant
truths of my life choices—I love children, I love teaching, I love music, I
love the play of it all, I love the work of it all. I love having gathered this
community of material and taking it wherever I go, ready at a moment’s notice
to bring a spark of joy to whatever venue presents itself. And yes, I was doing
this when I was in my 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, but not with the same clarity, assurance
and dependable repertoire, those tried-and-true war horses that never tire and
never let me down.
Thank you, my friends. And who wants to come to class with me
tomorrow?
Me!
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