By Elizabeth Russell
Bio

Interesting being asked for my comments on aging by Jim at a time
when I am engaged in thinking about it myself. A year ago, I moved into
a Seniors Retirement Center and I have been wondering about the wisdom
of that choice ever since. It has seemed to me that the people living
here are primarily finding ways to “spend” time while waiting for that
big event. My response has been to find things to do in San Francisco
and take myself out of here for at least one day each week.

The invitation to write for Serene Ambition gave
me pause to look more closely at my judgment to see whether or not it
represents the way things are or, rather, my way of skirting the
responsibility for having it be any other way.

Suddenly this became an opportunity, an opening. I know there are
people here with fascinating life stories, but I have not delved into
any of those stories. I know there are several people here who
regularly use the Internet and might be interested in looking at, and
perhaps contributing to, the Serene Ambition blog. I know there
are others whose lives bear testimony to the fact that they are living
into possibility. My friend, Chris, who is 98, has just purchased a new
TV set and has been seeking my advice about replacing her computer. She
uses the stairs instead of the elevator because she thinks it is good
for her well-being and she always has a smile for people she meets.

I published my autobiography a little over a year ago and have just
made an agreement with Google for promoting that book. I had not done
much in the way of promotion because I knew that, if the promotions
were successful, I would be asked to travel and, perhaps, to speak, and
I have used my age as a barrier to that, even though a few months ago I
made a trip to Bali for the wedding of a friend. So, this new venture
of my friend Jim’s may be one way in which I create/invent a new future
to live into.

We’ll see.