A couple of months ago my daughter sent me information on a writing competition for people over the age of 65. An organization called Ageless Authors (www.agelessauthors.com) who describe themselves as a collaborative “effort to recognize your vitality, your strength and your craft. It is designed to highlight the work of writers and artists 65 years of age and older. Ageless Authors is the brainchild of two highly experienced writer/editors – Ginnie Bivona and Larry Upshaw — who have launched a crusade on behalf of senior creativity”.
Of course I love anything that recognizes the talents and creativity that continue throughout our aging. This organization is staffed by devoted volunteers who love writing and want to encourage as many people to write as they can.
Coincidentally, a past client who is in his nineties and writes daily (and also who wrote the most beautifully passionate poem about love and loss that I have read for many years) recently asked me to read some of his writing and give feedback.
I have also recently been involved in a project called Dor Vador, an intergenerational storytelling project with USCDavis School of Gerontology and Professor George Shannon. The objective was to strengthen cultural identity. In Dor Vador we filmed older adults telling stories about when they felt most connected to their Jewish culture, then showed the stories to k-7 graders in Jewish schools and asked the children to illustrate the stories they watched. Finally storytellers and students met and discussed the stories and drawings and asked each other questions. It was exciting and satisfying each time it happened.
Consequently, when I heard about Ageless Authors and how they hold writing competitions then publish the stories of the winners, I was very enthusiastic. My daughter – being very persuasive – talked me into submitting a story – I chose the category Parents, For Better or Worse, wrote about my mother and for the first time sent in a story to the competition.
Now everyone has stories about their mothers (and there are a few urban legends floating around our family about me!) so I will share mine in a different post.
If you are interested look up the organization and start practicing your writing to submit for the next competition www.agelessauthors.com.
By the way I fund out today that I was awarded 3rd place – amazing for a first-timer.
And I feel like its my birthday (My birthday really is Fireworks night!)
