Another slice at the meaning of Creative Aging
Since our aging process begins at birth, creative aging could begin at any age. Customarily people in this field define it as occuring in the second half of life, or 50. There are many heartwarming and inspiring stories of people choosing to age creatively; I met last week a provocative example of the name of Roz, an 80 year-old woman whose feet still call her to dance and whose art is literally award-winning. More about Roz in another post because I am still in awe of another example of aging, of living creatively I read about some months ago. Her name is Carol and her forte is poetry, specifically the Japanese arts of Haiku and Tanka. What gives Carol’s story such resonance is that she is living and aging creatively in an iron-lung. Yes, Carol was struck down with polio in the 1st grade, in 1955. Since then she sees the world through the window, often only through the mirror over the head of her bed, but what a world she sees.
Her sharp knife quick
to peel, core, slice the red apple
we talk of childhood fears
how I blocked my ears
against the fair tale
This award-winning Tanka links the homely, yet violent act, of cooking, perhaps an apple-pie with those great Western Massachusetts Cortlands, with the terrors the children find so often in our world. I’ll never peel an apple again the same mindless way. Now that is the power of creativity and art. The old made new again.
Civic Engagement with Older Adults? Yes!
One of the most powerful purposes, components, of the Piedmont Triad Initiative for Community Arts is the connection between art and civic engagement. Our two presenters embodied it: professionally and personally. The whole day conveyed powerfully the potential, the ability, of art to change our communities in many ways, whether it is by changing us, our attitudes and actions, or by changing the system. Now, almost by accident, I’ve learned we here at creativeaging are not alone in seeing a natural connection between elders and civic engagement. Now civic engagement might not easily trip off your tongue but in this case it is defined as “Late life civic engagement encompasses actions wherein older adults participate in activities of personal and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community” (ASA). And one of the most dynamic professional associations for seniors and professionals who work with them has an initiative to promote and encourage this movement. Their national conference will include a special focus on it next March. Let’s All Get Going and Make a Difference!
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