Growing Old?

Happy Birthday noch einmal to me, so far so good!

"To win through by sheer force of genius is one thing; to survive and continue to create when every last door is slammed in one’s face is another. Nobody acquires genius — it is God-given. But one can acquire patience, fortitude, wisdom, understanding. Perhaps the greatest gift [is] to love what one does whether it causes a stir or not."

-Henry Miller

Shortly after his eightieth birthday, Henry Miller wrote a beautiful essay on the subject of aging and the key to living a full life. It was published in 1972 in an ultra-limited-edition book titled On Turning Eighty (public library), alongside two other essays. Only 200 copies were printed, numbered and signed by the author. Unfortunately in 1972 I wasn't clever enough to buy one.