| What's the vital aging secret that Betty White knows | | | | book tour and speaking at several national book |
| all about? Life doesn't end until it ends. | | | | festivals. Here's my favorite George Dawson quote: |
| This line appeared in an article on Golden Girl, Betty | | | | "Ever since I turned a hundred, life has been busy." |
| White, in a recent Newsweek article. I love that | | | | Think you're too old to go after a dream? Then think |
| Betty White is a hot commodity at age 88 because | | | | of George Dawson and put that thought OUT of |
| she's giving all of us another positive role model for | | | | your mind. Life doesn't end until it ends. |
| vital and successful aging. Her appearance on | | | | People who believe they can make a difference in |
| Saturday Night Live on May 8, 2010 not only made | | | | the world know all about this too. I think of Doris |
| her the oldest host ever and resulted in huge ratings, | | | | "Granny D" Haddock who earned her fame by |
| she also showed the world that her wit and comedic | | | | walking across America in her 90th year to promote |
| timing are still as sharp as ever. And best of all, she | | | | campaign finance reform. You can read about this |
| looked like she was having a ball! | | | | experience and her wonderful insights about life and |
| Betty White isn't alone in living life to the fullest. | | | | aging in the book that she co-authored with Dennis |
| People who follow their passion know all about this | | | | Burke. |
| and have been doing it for decades. I think of role | | | | I was reminded of Granny D and her story earlier this |
| models like Pablo Picasso who produced more work | | | | year when I read of her death at age 100. Family |
| in the last two decades of his life than at any other | | | | friends noted that Granny D's age was not a factor |
| time. I think of Frank Lloyd Wright who worked on | | | | in what she did. She never gave up. Until the end, she |
| the Guggenheim Museum until his death at age 91. I | | | | was still advocating for causes she believed in. My |
| think of Grandma Moses who started painting | | | | favorite Granny D quote: "I have not lost my reason |
| seriously at age 78 and continued until her death at | | | | to live... I want to plant a few more seeds here and |
| age 101. I think of U.S. Poet Laureate, Stanley Kunitz, | | | | there before they plant me." |
| who pursued his passion for poetry until his death at | | | | Opportunities for planting new seeds and positively |
| age 100. | | | | impacting the world around you don't end at a certain |
| People who follow their passion don't stop what they | | | | age. If you think they do, think of Granny D and |
| love doing because of age. They fully understood | | | | then think again. Life doesn't end until it ends. |
| that life doesn't end until it ends and they continue | | | | The great news is that stories like these are |
| making the most of every day they're given. | | | | becoming more and more commonplace with our |
| People who won't let dreams die also know all about | | | | growing aging population and the shattering of old |
| this. I think of George Dawson who was the son of | | | | stereotypes. And role models for vital and successful |
| a former slave and someone who had always dreamt | | | | aging and FULL LIFELONG LIVING can be found |
| of learning to read. He didn't think he was too old to | | | | anywhere and everywhere. |
| do this when he joined an adult literacy program at | | | | You just need to look for them - and seek them out |
| age 98. He continued attending program classes until | | | | - and follow their lead. Their positive examples are |
| his death at 103 and fulfilled his dream. | | | | becoming the new norm for how later life is meant |
| But that's not the whole story. By going after his | | | | to be lived. It's really true. Life doesn't end until it |
| dream, George had the opportunity to co-author a | | | | ends. |
| book about his life called Life is So Good that led to a | | | | |