The origin of the 64 project.
I embarked on this project rather suddenly, just a few months before turning 64. I had been feeling STUCK. I needed a creative project to get myself MOVING, to get myself excited about something. I had a “bigger” idea but I wasn’t sure it was right for me. I put it to the side and decided that I would take this project on to exercise my creative muscle. A sort of “warm up” for…?
The idea came to me in an instant and before I had the time to think it through carefully and back out, I started e-mailing several friends, asking if they would play in my sandbox and contribute an essay.
The e-mail included the following:
The lyrics for the Beatles' song "When I'm 64" were apparently written by Paul McCartney at age 15, and the song was later released in 1967. We were a mere 11 or 12 years old. What did HE know and what did WE know? We could not possibly imagine one day we would be lucky enough to get close to and/or arrive at...Sixty-four!! I think I can safely assume that what we believed in those much earlier years was that 64 was OLD! O-L-D, ancient! ! Well now that we've arrived - or almost arrived - we KNOW that's not the case. There's SO MUCH MORE we want, and are capable of doing and contributing.
…. I'm collecting essays around this idea "When I'm 64". I've been thinking a lot about that phrase - what it means to me, where I'm going, what I want... I’m so interested in what everyone is doing, thinking, feeling at this stage. The prompt for these short essays of about 500-1000 words (ish!) is simply whatever the words "When I'm 64" conjure up for you and what you are inspired to write. A "free-flowing", narrative essay.
There wasn’t any deeper objective than to have another creative outlet in which to play. Though I was originally reaching out to those who had recently arrived at 64 or were within months of doing so, I ultimately decided to expand this to 10 years within the “target” age. I also wanted to get the perspective of someone who has long since passed this marker. I tapped into one very lively nonagenarian: she wrote and submitted her essay on her 98th birthday.
A common theme emerged from many of the essayists: childhood was recalled fondly, “looking at” how one’s younger self engaged with the world and how it influenced thoughts about NOW.
After the initial feelings of “overwhelm”, and perhaps a little dread, were processed and the exercise was underway, I thought most would be glad that they took the time to be reflective and find that putting thoughts around this idea into words “on paper” was beneficial. Thankfully, whether it was out of courtesy or honesty, all expressed that sentiment.
I hope that whoever is reading the essays, no matter what age, may be inspired by the many ways people look at these “markers” and choose to see their lives. Maybe, in so doing, they will realize that there is so much more now and ahead - and will dial it up, create, amplify.
If you would like to participate further in the 64 project, please click engage.
P.S. The link for the “When I’m 64” lyrics are here!