AGE IS A STATE OF MIND

As I close in on my 35th birthday I wonder if perhaps I'm getting to old. I think if anything I'm a baby starting out. I look at age as nothing more than a state of mind. My body of work reflects a still very spry mind with an almost boundless ability for material. I'm not saying that I'm a genius but I am extremely good at being tireless.

I look at past examples of age not really playing a part in achievement and there are some prime examples. When people want to accomplish something, they find a way to defy time. I'm not saying we can stop time from passing, but we can use what time brings as an ally.

When George Burns was nearly 80 he began what would be considered the best period of an already lengthy and storied career. Jack Benny was in his late 70's and was still commanding high ratings with his specials based on The Jack Benny Program. If you want to accomplish greatness, work at it and if you want to preserve it make sure to believe in your own ability to do so in spite of time.

THE NEW GEORGE BURNS IS: BETTY WHITE!

Every decade there is a comedian that stands out because he or she manages to beat the clock through laughter. The cool elder statesman of the 1970's was Jack Benny and after him came George Burns. Burns rejuvenated his career in the 1970's after his performance in The Sunshine Boys which garnered him an Academy Award and a legion of new followers that saw him move on to performances in Oh God among other films as well as as the release of a country album. I think that the long lasting nature of these comedians is due to their ability to make people laugh.

The new elder of comedy is Betty White, whose double entendres and grand dame demeanor make her one of America's treasures. What's amazing about how these comedians get to that point is the fact that they creep up like cotton headed ninjas full of energy and youth. Slowly but surely these comedians show why they stand the test of time. Betty White makes up material using current trends like Facebook and vaginas. You have to admire someone that at 91 years of age can make a younger generation crave her work.

Lasting long and staying fresh is a testament to the healing power of laughter but it goes deeper than that. People like Betty White have a quality that draws others, it's the humor and the subtle nature of its delivery. I think it's only proper to say thank you to Betty White as well as her predecessors because without them the world would be a rather dreary place and we would not have certain beacons that remind us of the fact that aging is only a physical necessity.