Friday, January 20, 2012

It's Never Too Late to Bloom

I've been reading Debra Eve's inspirational "Later Bloomers: 35 Folks Over Age 35 Who Found Their Passion And Purpose" on my Kindle this week.

It has stories about those who hit their stride at middle age or later in life. Eve noted that she was in a boring job in her 30s and decided there had to be more to life than what she was experiencing. So she embarked on several different paths to enjoy life to the fullest.

Along the way she decided to write a blog, laterbloomer.com, about the famous and not-so-famous people who excelled in various endeavors after discovering what they really wanted to do when they grew up.

Among those included are chef  Julia Child, singer Susan Boyle, writers Bram Stoker ("Dracula"),  Edgar Rice Burroughs ("Tarzan"} and Richard Adams ("Watership Down"), Bertha Benz (of Mercedes-Benz), scientist Mary Somerville, evolutionist Charles Darwin, and American Renaissance-man Benjamin Franklin.

I'm sure most of us know people who discovered their calling in their later years. What's a shame is that some people don't have the opportunity, and others simply don't care, to find themselves and get the most out of life.

I have several friends who weren't published authors or poets until their 40s or later. I met a woman several years ago who got an Ed.D at the age of 85. While in grad school several of my classmates were over 50 and became special-education teachers. I know several women who, after raising their children, went on to become nurses.

I believe the message that Debra Eve conveys is that it's never too late to do what you have the talent to do.  Just go for it.

And you might discover something else along the way -- yourself!   

Until the next time...

1 comment:

  1. Thanks so much for this kind review, Michael. You've summed it up perfectly. The biggest adventure starts now!

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