What do Donald Trump, Cher and John Mishler have in common? Answer: we will all be 79 in 2025. A problem? Well, some 11 months ago, there was a “…national obsession with respect to the age of both our presidential candidates (Joe Biden and Donald Trump),” (“Use your moral compass to vote,” June 29, 2024 Portland Press Herald letter), and so “age” then was a real topic of concern, namely — how old is too old to meaningfully discharge high-order functions? Should older citizens simply be tolerated, or is “age” not relevant when it reflects one’s overall contribution to society in some shape or form?

If the question is of “some shape or form,” what about the Rolling Stones band — “aged” men still producing music with a flair. Music again (add art): as an “aged” person myself, four of my original artworks were recently utilized for the covers of a vinyl album and gatefold CD titled “Enigma” by the band “Human Moods” (Chris Muccino and Sheridan, Facebook, Instagram at @humanmoodsmusic).

Therefore, what is the insightful moral of this story? Simply stated, Cher (writing her memoirs) and the Rolling Stones (performing live) are still creating, pushing boundaries and providing new perspectives on life with gusto. From my own “aged” viewpoint, it appears “age” is simply a number, not a one-way ticket to the glue factory. Senior citizens with large “numbers” possess a treasure trove of wisdom, novel insights and common sense. So, age is just a milestone, a number, not a superficial assumption.

John Mishler
Harpswell