It's no accident that the seats at The Grand Ole Opry look like church pews. If you look around the audience at a performance, you see the reverence that the Opry inspires. When it comes to country music, this is High Church.

Although the crowd is unmistakeably gray, many are just kids when it comes to the performers at the 80-year-old institution. There are plenty of wrinkles on the stage under the makeup. As the performers march across the stage to do a number or two, some would seem to be as comfortable with a cane as a guitar.

Yet the energy is unmistakable. The singers bring an inner spark that ignites each song, even though they have done it hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times. It's captivating, especially for the awestruck audience.

The entertainment industry has always demonstrated, and The Grand Ole Opry proves, a principle that we too often forget. Performance isn't about age -- it's about energy. If you think you're too old to do your thing, think again.

Labels: aging, energy, Grand Ole Opry, marketing

Okay, I'm 60 today.

I was born before commercial television. When polio was a big problem. When Ike was just a general. Several wars, hot and cold, ago.

People congratulate me, as if three-score is a big accomplishment. But all I had to do was put one foot in front of the other, and here I am.

On the other hand, lots of other people deserve to be thanked. They raised me and taught me and paid me and supported me and loved me and worked with me and tolerated me and played with me and even listened to what I had to say.

For me, surviving to 60 is no big deal. They deserve the congratulations.

Labels: aging