Words Have Power

Press Release
My Interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air

October 3, 2027 – My favorite interviewer of all times is Terry Gross of Fresh Air. I have been listening to her for what seems like forever. I love her sensitivity, her great questions and her sense of humor so I was blown away when I got the notification that Terry wanted to interview me.

Terry does most of her interviews remotely and this one was no different. I was at home in my beautiful apartment on the 14th floor overlooking the Hollywood Hills when she called. Living here contributes to my sense of well-being and joy.

At 83 years old I am a great example of aging audaciously. Shortly after my 81st birthday, I sold my house in Metuchen and started life anew in Long Beach, California so I could be near my eight-year-old granddaughter and my son and daughter-in-love.

It meant forming new friendships and new communities, broadening my outlook and impacting the outlook of people I met. Growing like this is oxygen for my soul.

We quickly got related and the interview got started. Her first question was how did I get interested in audacious aging and why I wrote the book. I replied that my purpose in writing the book is to impact the conversation about aging and I can see it happening as we speak.

I told her that I’ve been aware of ageism probably since the time I was 55. I used to lead in introductions to life coaching and tell people that I was the best looking 55-year-old woman they’d ever met and asked them if they knew why.

My reply was usually because I was the only one that was willing to tell them her age.

Ageism, like other isms are stories we tell ourselves or pick up from the culture. When you question the stories, your world can shift and many things become possible.

For example, very often people tell me that I don’t look 81 and I reply that’s because they have no idea what 81 looks like or can look like. There are many awesome people who are over the age of 70 or 80 or even 90 who do fabulous things but downplay their age.

This does two things. One is that they may not giving themselves full credit for how awesome they are and how they continue to grow and thrive and contribute at whatever age they’re at.

The other is that when people lack role models, they may dread growing older. When you become a role model you are giving the gift of letting people know how spectacular they could be as they age.

Once they see that for themselves, their whole world opens up and life becomes more fun and fulfilling.

Terry loved this answer and said it gave her hope and that in her interviewing she has seen how much Elders have to contribute and do contribute. After all, my generation is the generation that was not buying the status quo.

It fought for civil rights, it was the generation where women could not get credit in their own name and was the generation where the air was dirty and the water wasn’t fit a drink in many places.

We appreciate how things have changed in the past 60 years and are determined and grateful to keep the changes going and flowing.

I went on to tell her about some of the people who I have met and who are featured in my book. She also asked me about the impact of my book on my friends and family.

I told her it has deepened my friendships and elevated the way my grandchildren and my children see me. Life is so much fun and keeps me on my toes.

It was a very fun, productive and enlightening time for me and a dream come true to have been interviewed by Terry and to be able to contribute to her.

Being on Fresh Air with Terry Gross

October 3, 2027 My favorite interviewer of all times is Terry Gross of Fresh Air. I have been listening to her for what seems like forever.

I love her sensitivity, her great questions and her sense of humor so I was blown away when I got the notification that Terry wanted to interview me. Terry does most of her interviews remotely and this one was no different.

I was at home in my beautiful apartment on the 14th floor overlooking the Hollywood Hills when she called. Living here contributes to my sense of well-being and joy. At 83 years old I am a great example of aging audaciously.

Shortly after my 81st birthday, I sold my house in Metuchen and started life anew in Long Beach, California so I could be near my eight-year-old granddaughter. It also meant forming new friendships and new communities, broadening my outlook and impacting the outlook of people I met.

We quickly got related and the interview got started. Her first question was how did I get interested in audacious aging and why I wrote the book.

I told her that I’ve been aware of ageism probably since the time I was 55. I used to lead in introductions to life coaching and tell people that I was the best looking 55-year-old woman they’d ever met and asked them if they knew why. My reply was usually because I was the only one that was willing to tell them her age.

Ageism, like other isms are stories we tell ourselves or pick up from the culture. When you question the stories, your world can shift and many things become possible.

Very often people tell me that I don’t look anyone and I tell them that’s because they have no idea what 81 looks like or can look like. There are many awesome people who are over the age of 70 or 80 or even 90 who do fabulous things but downplay their age.

This does two things. One is that they may not giving themselves full credit for how awesome they are and how they continue to grow and thrive and contribute at whatever age they’re at.

The other is that when people lack role models, they may dread growing older. When you become a role model you are giving the gift of letting people know how spectacular they could be as they age.

Once they see for themselves, their whole world opens up and life becomes more fun and fulfilling.

My purpose in writing the book is to impact the conversation about aging and I can see it happening.

Terry loved this answer and said it gave her hope and that in her interviewing she has seen how much Elders have to contribute and do contribute. After all, my generation is the generation that was not buying the status quo.

It fought for civil rights, it was the generation where women could not get credit in their own name. It was the generation where the air was dirty and the water wasn’t fit a drink in many places.

We appreciate how things have changed in the past 50 years and are determined and grateful to keep the changes going and flowing.

I went on to tell her about some of the people who I have met and who are featured in my book. She also asked me about the impact of my book on my friends and family.

I told her it has deepened my friendships and elevated the way my grandchildren and my children see me. Life is so much fun and keeps me on my toes.

It was a very fun, productive and enlightening time for me and a dream come true to have been interviewed by Terry and to be able to contribute to her.