…when I’m 64.

It was 50 years when The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. When I’m 64 was written by Paul McCartney years earlier when he was just 16. I was 14 when the album was released and the song immediately became one of my favourites on the album. I was intrigued by the song, which is about aging. Back in 1967, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be 64.

Because of the song, 64 became a milestone birthday for me. I needed to find out what it meant to be 64. The months and weeks leading up to my birthday were quite difficult. There were health crises in the family. A few unexpected deaths among friends. My own health issues. I had professional decisions to make as well.

So what does it feel like to be 64? Pretty good. As in the song, I’ve lost much of my hair but not my faculties. I’m in a very strong marriage. I still get get valentines, birthday greetings, bottles of wine. I play an important role within the family. I am still active professional but under my terms. I get to travel more than ever. This past summer we were in Europe and next spring we will do a cruise through the Panama Canal. And I’ve become a writer. I have one novel released and well on the way to releasing a second one.

Writing has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. The freedom to use one’s imagination and put it all down on paper to share with others is both exhilarating and humbling. Technology has allowed indie writers to get their work to the public without the assistance of large publishing companies. The most difficult part of writing is the discipline necessary to see it through to the end. Fighting off self-doubt and distractions is a constant challenge. Whether you sell 100 books or 10,000, you’re still an author. The feeling is still the same.

I have now have the question asked in the song: Will you still need me, will you still feed me When I’m sixty-four? The answer is Yes.