I know I’ve written about old age and mortality any number of times before, but I just can’t keep myself from visiting those topics once again. When you’re old as dirt, like me, it’s hard not to contemplate, at least now and then, how much time you’ve got left. I’m 77, for crying out loud, which stuns me. How can this be? Where the hell did the years go? As with most matters, I have no f*cking idea. One thing for sure is that the express train keeps barreling along. We’re here, and then — poof! — we’re gone. That’s life. If it were up to me, though, each individual creature, human and not, would carry on, and thrive, unto eternity. Yeah, sometimes I’m a hopeless dreamer.
My status as an ancient has been made crystal clear to me by information I’ve obtained from the website of The French Institute For Demographic Studies. One of its online calculators shows that I am older than 97% of the human beings on our planet, an extremely sobering statistic. Most truths don’t hurt, but this one does. And I’m having a heck of a hard time wrapping my head around it. (If you’d like to see where you fit on the global population scale, click here to open the website. Once there, click on Let’s go and, on the subsequent page, enter your age on the horizontal bar.)
Still, naively, and probably out of fear, I find myself not quite believing that I have an expiration date. It almost doesn’t seem possible to me that I do. I mean, I’m still nicely functional, still pretty much an ace at stumbling gracefully through life. Why should all of this come to an end? I sure would like to make it into my 90s, though. I’ll have been cheated, I feel, by anything less than that. But any way you look at it, time is running out. There are far, far more grains of sand at the bottom of my hourglass than at the top.
So, what’s to be done? Well, we all know the answers. To the best of our abilities, everybody — not just me and my fellow oldsters — should aim to do the right things. Such as: maintaining, and trying to expand, close relationships; pursuing activities that put smiles on our faces; and working hard to make society and the natural environment healthier. Anyone who does a good bit or more of all that is a valuable member of the human race.
Music has been my main interest for most of my life. I can barely carry a tune, and I’d be up shit’s creek if I attempted to plunk out Chopsticks on the piano. But I’m an expert when it comes to listening to music. And I pay a lot of attention to what musicians have to say. A recent article in The Guardian caught my attention and got me feeling better about being a geezer. The story takes a look at up-there-in-age musicians who have lost little, if any, of their life force. For instance, Bonnie Raitt, who is two years my junior, remarks, “I’m not slowing down and I’m not going to stop until I can’t do it any more.” And Graham Nash, six years my senior, has these thoughts about seeing the late master guitarist Andrés Segovia when Segovia was 92: “And he knocked me on my ass with the energy and brilliance of his performance. So I think: ‘Why not me?’”
I like the way Raitt and Nash look at things.
I’ll bring this opus to a proper conclusion by leaving you with a tune composed by Bob Dylan, who, at 83, remains a very active musician. The song in question, Forever Young, appears on his album Planet Waves, which came out in 1974. Dylan recorded the album in collaboration with his pals from The Band (Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm).
While working on this story I listened to Forever Young for the first time in eons. Man, I think I’d never realized how direct and heartfelt the song is. It addresses some of the themes I’ve presented herein, but with a different slant, for Dylan had one of his youngsters in mind when he wrote the lyrics. The song’s sentiments, though, apply to folks of any age. Hope you enjoy it.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Oh my goodness! At 77 years old you’re older than 97 per cent of human beings on our planet? That’s shocking (and yet another reason for me to realize how much I dislike numbers!). I think that 77 is still a vibrant age and it’s obvious from your writing that you are among the “forever young” crowd! Plus, I’m not far behind you! Also, I totally agree with you about music. I am rarely awake without music playing nearby. 🎼🎹🎷
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HI, Lori. Music, for sure, can help keep us enthused and “with it” and sort of young.
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I don’t need to go to the website because you told me the answer as I am also 77. When you wake up for over 28,000 consecutive days, one can become complacent about the threat of death! Thanks for the Dylan clip!
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Dylan is 6 years older than us and still going real strong. He recently embarked on a tour that’s going to take him all over the place.
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Wow! that is a startling statistic. On the other hand, you can feel good about beating the odds. I volunteer at an assisted living center. One amazing thing I regularly see is the effect that music has on the people living there. There is a band that comes in each week to play for them. Immediately, you can see the toes tapping and they start to sing along. It clearly lifts their spirits.
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Howdy, Pete. Music is healing. It’s the universal language.
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I’m sure you speak for many of us! I am about to turn 72 and I’m still travelling. It keeps me young and engaged and curious. And the music — that keeps us young too whether we perform it or listen to it. Love the Dylan song. Also listen to “End of the Line” by the Traveling Wilburies.
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Hi. I’m going to head to YouTube to listen to End Of The Line. I’ve always liked that song.
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Hi Neil, I’m a great fan of ‘Planet Waves’ and staying ‘Forever Young’ but there’s a song on the album I love even more: it’s bright, beautiful and bouncy: it’s ‘You Angel You’ and I’m paying it now ; happy listening 🙂
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You Angel You is a real good one. I think that Planet Waves might be underappreciated by a lot of people.
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Thanks for the links and I looked up my global positioning age. Yikes, I’m up there too. We just have to enjoy the time we have left in the best way we can while making the effort to be good people. Cheers.
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“We just have to enjoy the time we have left in the best way we can while making the effort to be good people.” — Amen to that.
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Thanks, Jerry. You know how to pick good songs.
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Have you ever heard of the group YOUNG AT HEART ?
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This is great. Thank you, Jerry.
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Thank you, Neil, for your thought-provoking post. As you are active, you have every chance to stay on the conveyor belt until you are 90 or more!
Joanna
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I hope so!
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I know so, Neil!
Joanna
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Well, thanks a LOT, youngster. I just clicked on that link to discover that 0% of the world’s population is older than I am, at 91. Which seemed a little discouraging, so I clicked myself into the U.S. and found that 1% is still older here. At least I’m in the percentile that heard Andres Segovia, in Atlanta when he was a mere 64. And yes, we’d better all keep doing what we can for justice and the planet. It’s going to be an uphill battle for a while, but enough to keep us alive and kicking another few years or so . . . DEFINITELY if you’re a mere 70-something.
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Fran, you set a high bar. I hope that whoever might read your comments here will click on your name and head over to your website.
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Amen! We do have expiration dates. The least we can do is to cause no harm to other living things.
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Right, people need to be caring and thoughtful. Have a good day!
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Not a fan of Dylan’s voice but there’s no arguing he wrote great lyrics.
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He has the gift!
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Absolutely!
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What an insightful post! I think it’s ace that you are still so inspired by life and trying to do the important things. I guess it’s always good to try to do that, even at the age of 41 (like me, hah!). Music crosses all ages and uplifts us all. I’m into Blues myself😊
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Hi. I’m a big Blues fan too. It’s one of my favorite genres of music.
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I believe that 77 today is a whole lot younger than it was for past generations. Although I may think differently when I get there. I tend to wake up every day as if I have 30 years to live and then keep doing the things I love to do.
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“I tend to wake up every day as if I have 30 years to live and then keep doing the things I love to do.” — that’s an excellent approach to life.
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PS. Thank you, Neil, for the beautiful music!
Joanna
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Oh, man, that first paragraph describes me almost perfectly. You have a few years on me, but I can relate to the ‘where the hell did the time go?’ feeling.
Funny how when I was younger I would see older musicians and think, “When are they going to retire?”. Now that I’m considered a senior citizen, I admire the ones that can keep it going. Bob Dylan is a great example, and so is Robert Plant and Willie Nelson.
An insightful and meaningful post, my friend.
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Hi, Richard. Marshall Allen is a exploratory jazz musician who is still active at age 100. I saw him in concert a few months ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Allen
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Fantastic! I’ll get him on my playlist!
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Being old also means having to contend with the enormous, invisible volume of everything you have done and completely forgotten about. At the age of 20, you’ve lived so little you can remember virtually all of it; by the age of 60 you will have forgotten entire holidays, scores of books you’ve read, hundreds of arguments, upwards of a thousand former acquaintances, all the popular music released between 1999 and 2004, and at least 10 Netflix passwords. This isn’t memory loss – just a natural shedding of things your brain has deemed superfluous. Thanks for the fascinating read, Neil, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Hi, Aiva. I’ve always enjoyed your takes on things. You are highly insightful.
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🥰🥰🥰
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I can relate to all of this. Sigh. I am going to listen to Forever Young again, too. It’s been years.
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Hey there, Denise. It’s a lovely song. I think that Dylan was in a very contemplative and relaxed mood when he composed it.
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I can relate to that realization that the years ahead are much fewer now Neil. The women in my family are long-lived, often well into their 90’s and 90 seemed to be so far away until not long ago when I said out loud- 25 years to that goal. I’m also pretty sure that the years are speeding up, like I swear just last week it was January.
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You’re not kidding about the years speeding up. I can’t believe how fast the first three months of 2025 zipped by. Zoom!
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I hear you! I am older than you but still enjoying life. I am very healthy because l have enjoyed playing sports and exercising all my life. Keep cutting your grass and a little basketball wouldn’t hurt! 😁
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Yeah, I need to start shooting some hoops semi-regularly. I have no excuse not to, especially since there’s a court only a couple of blocks away!
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Performing or even just listening to music may be the fountain of youth–as long as we can turn up the volume as needed.
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Hi Pete. I have tinnitus, probably because of going to so many high-decibel concerts over the years. For example, I remember incredibly loud concerts by Steve Earle and by My Morning Jacket. Those shows were painfully loud.
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I like Raitt’s attitude, but maybe I’m being selfish. I want her to keep making music forever. I do take her point, that you gotta keep on going doing your best to be you.
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Morning, Ally. She has had a long, productive career. She was in the audience at a show in California that my wife and I were at, 15 or 20 years ago. It was a small theater, and we had a chance to say hello to her. But we passed up the opportunity!
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May you stay forever young, Neil!
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Gracias.
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Only now, in my 70th year, do I fully appreciate that youth is wasted on the young. If only I’d known back then…
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Hi. Yeah, it can be true. But, growing up ain’t necessarily easy.
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Neil, you help me feel much better about having been 39 for so many years.
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My pleasure!
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77! I sure wish I’m dead by then! OK, that’s not helping… I see that now. Apologies.
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Apologies accepted!
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77 is not that old so it’s startling to me that you’re older than 97% of the world’s population! Here’s to staying Forever Young, Maggie
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Hi Maggie, and thanks.
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Loved the world view and me, Neil. Since I’m 84. 99% of the world population is younger than me. If you want to feel better go to the North American continent data cause there I’m older than only 98% of the population. Yeah, we have to come to grips with the fact that the runway is getting shorter. What we don’t have to do is slow down, but rather accelerate and get that nose in the air and soar higher. Best wishes to you
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“What we don’t have to do is slow down, but rather accelerate and get that nose in the air and soar higher.” — I like the way you think!
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Keeps me going. Thanks, Neil.
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I’ve been experiencing much the same … I so understand. When it comes to music, this song has me thinking … a lot … https://youtu.be/QtK1G6G1Ing
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Hi there, Tyler. I gave that song a listen. Its lyrics strike home.
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Neil, thanks for sharing Dylan’s song that I’m now hearing for the first time. We can’t do much about slowing down the aging process, but we can sure remain forever young at heart and in mind 🙂
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Right. That’s the way to go. Have a real good rest of the week!
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Same to you, Neil!
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A few weeks ago I went to a show that featured Joan Baez (84) as well as Bonnie Raitt and a bunch of other “seasoned” luminaries, including Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, who’s 93! I mean, he was pals with Woody Guthrie! It was an incredible evening of performances. So, Neil, may you ramble on into your 90s and continue to make this earth a better place.
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Hi, and thanks for the comments. Appreciated.
That concert sounds like a really good one. Which performer(s) did you like best?
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Well, I’d say that I liked Rosanne Cash the best, but she is one of my top 5 favorites anyway (even though I’m generally a rocker). Speaking of rockers, I also loved Tom Morello. And Jackson Browne. And Emmylou Harris. And of course Joan Baez. Oh, hell, I loved ’em all!
It was a fun show because it was sort of a congregation of old lefties — in the audience as well as onstage. A political revival of sorts. Very inspiring.
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Worldwide 94% of the population is younger than me but in Ireland it is only 90%. Something which has come on me in the last recent years is an inclination to take care of myself, to buy new clothes more regularly and make an effort to make myself look a little smarter – I bought a new trousers today and threw out those 15+ year old shirts which have been my “house duds” for far too long. I no longer feel the echoes of “is this necessary/ is it wasteful” – or I choose to ignore them – when I feel like going out for a nice meal or buying something nice for myself, or having a treat (just booked a week in Paris!). I don’t put my healthcare on the long finger any longer and have taken steps to remedy the neglect of some years in dentistry – the dentist’s neglect rather than mine, by the way! And, as is so often suggested, I don’t waste my time with people I have no time for and have become very good at saying, “No!” I have never listened to music unless pressured to do so but I can murder several songs at the same time. Now, I’m going to have a very large glass of whiskey because I feel like it and I deserve it. Cheers!
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We only live once. So, it’s good to treat ourselves well. I’m sure you’re looking forward to the Paris vacation. It will be great.
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Forever young … in your head, That’s the way to do it! Nice piece, Neil
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Hi, and thanks. I’m pretty sure I know who this is. But, you’re listed as Anonymous, so I’m not positive. In any case, thanks for stopping by.
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Apparently I am older than 91% of the world’s population (67). But what really threw me is that of those born the same year as me only 56% are still alive. Ok, I know many of those who aren’t will have been from countries where they didn’t have the advantages i have had but, still, it’s a sobering thought. I share your puzzlement about where the hell the years have gone.
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I hadn’t noticed that feature on the site. I looked at it a minute ago. It says that 66% of the people born in my year are no longer with us.
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So you are winning at life! Let’s both keep on the right side of that %age divide for a good while longer.
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Thank you for your wise and thought-provoking reflections. I love ‘Forever Young’ and find it filled with hope and resilience no matter what stage of life we are in.
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Hi, and good morning. Forever Young has become one of Dylan’s better-known songs, I think. It’s a really good one.
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I enjoyed the link. I’ve still got 14% globally and 16% in my neck of the woods older than me with 87% of people born the same year as me within Oceania still alive but only 67% globally. Interesting!
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Hi. It’s a pretty amazing website. It’s got astonishing amounts of information.
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The funny thing is you actually aren’t older than dirt! lol Not yet, I don’t think. My dad’s still going strong at 97. That’s kinda older than dirt, haha. But you have the same mindset he does: keep going, find your interests, engage with others.
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Hats off to your father. May he keep going strong for many years to come!
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Ah, so that’s what I am on…an express train!! It all makes sense now why the days and weeks are flying by! 🙂
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Zoom!
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LOL – Time for you to take Swing Dancing lessons. I think we all have those moments of realizing, “YIKES, I’m getting older.” Then we realize if we dwell on the grey hair, wrinkles, aches/pains, they get worse. So, we have to embrace certain things and then focus on continuing to live our BEST life.There are so many older people to admire that are active and still striving. Have you heard of the Ironman Nun. What a great story… I guess we need some posts focusing on older people who are thriving and doing great things into their 90s. That’s a new challenge and fun one for some posts, right. Here you go: https://youtu.be/ma4Els3_p4w?si=qX9w6MT2uFT1yvd-
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A triathlete at age 94. Amazing!
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LOL, I know. That’s when I gulp and THINK, I can do MORE.
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I like coming here because it makes me (approaching 66) feel so young!! 😛
I have never been much of a Dylan fan, but I loved how Count Basie kept playing and leading his band into his mid 80s.
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Hi. There are many jazz musicians who are active on the scene today, and over 80. To name a few: Reggie Workman; George Coleman; Houston Person; Marshall Allen (he’s 100 years old!).
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At 63 I’m still working or rather teaching 6th grade science and I am surrounded by young people for 172 days a year, so I don’t feel ‘old’ or what ever that is… but I do know I am on another (down) side of the life curve. I think I’ll be forever young, or at least I hope so. Stay well and positive, keep making your days count.
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Hi, Clay. You’re in a very good place, physically, emotionally and mentally.
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Great post! I don’t know about “forever young.” I didn’t know crap when I was young. Now in my sixties, I know more & appreciate more. My plan has always been to live to triple digits. It is still my plan. 😎
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I like your plan!
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I’ve heard it said that you are only as old as you feel. Unfortunately our biological clock has a different meaning. Love your post. I remember Gene Pitney – Only twenty-four hours from Tulsa. I used to sing it all the time. And I adored Ricky Nelson. Those were the days! Keep healthy.
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Greetings. I hadn’t thought about that Gene Pitney song in ages. It’s a terrific one. I’m going to head over to YouTube and listen to it. See ya!
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I’m ten years younger, but I don’t mind going. As long as I’m spared a long illness and hospitalization. Death by elephant is preferable! The Bob Dylan song is lovely!
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“Death By Elephant” would be a good title for a book!
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This is sometimes attributed to Ghandi, although I am not sure:
“Live as if you are to die tomorrow, learn as if you will live forever.”
also
“What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.”
Attributed to Crowfoot, 1890 (Blackfoot)
For the record, I will be 74 in June, so you don’t have that much on me.
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We ain’t young!
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You, my friend, are “Forever Young.” It’s not about numbers it’s about how engaged you are with life and how you are willing to open your mind and live by your heart. The outer part of us is ageing and the joints and bones etc. don’t work very well anymore, but our spirits are alive and burning bright and we still have much to do and give. It’s when we give up and stop engaging that we die.
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Hi. Beautifully said. Your insights are spot-on.
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Thanks for sharing that Bob Dylan song. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it. And you’re right it applies to all ages. Maybe, if we all followed it’s lyrics no matter our chronological age, the world and we would be better for it.
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Morning, Jan. It’s a “simple” song, melodically and lyrically. But that’s what makes it powerful, I think.
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I agree.
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One of my favorite Dylan songs! I occasionally add songs to the playlist for my memorial service. This on it.
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You picked a good one!
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There are many to choose from. Another that is very meaningful to me is Knocking on Heaven’s Door but that maybe doesn’t go with your theme. Ha!
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It’s all on how you wear and feel your age I believe and you sound far younger than 77 that nowadays is still young☺️also as Italian I wouldn’t trust the French 😜
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Hi. Any way you look at it though, I sure would like to be at least 25 years younger than I am!
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Beautifully written! I also like music! Well shared.🙌🙌
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Thanks. Appreciated.
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