ENGAGE - ENERGIZE - EMPOWER

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Ashton Applewhite IS my Thomas Paine!!


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It is SO true that letting the Universe KNOW what we really truly WANT makes it easier for the Universe to send it our way.  This past Thursday, I wrote a post apologizing to Jo Ann Jenkins for basically dissing her book, Disrupting Age, which I'd sort of trashed as being corp-speech & targeting an advantaged demograohic.  

At the end of the mea culpa, I compared Jo Ann to Ben Franklin, who had the charm & social savvy to convince the French to provide the high-level support needed from power brokers & political big wigs (literally!).  Where, I asked, was the Thomas Paine of eldering, the person who could speak to rest of us, the ones who don't have the luxury of choices??

Last Wednesday, she showed up on my doorstep.  Ashton Applewhite totally fits my description of a Tom Paine, rallying support for experiencing older people as wondrous rather than less than.  Her book, This Chair Rocks, is even subtitled, "a manifesto against ageism."
 


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Zounds!  And a great big THANK YOU to an abundant Universe sending me the answer to a heartfelt prayer.  Because Ashton voices the clarion call I longed to hear, am ready to follow, to jump into the fray & help lead the charge.

It was awesome sitting there at Book Culture on Columbus, with Ashton right in front of me, reading from her book, having her friends share passages, leading the discussion. What a thrill, when on of the SRO crowd waved a copy of the recent New Yorker, with a description of the must-go event its "Above & Beyond" events page!

Here is a woman who speaks my language, speaks it way more eloquently & intelligently, yet inspires & uplifts & makes me feel more empowered than before to do MY best in this critical revolution.

In speaking of Paine's Common Sense, John Adams wrote, ""Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain."  I shout from the rooftops a similar sentiment about Ashton & her book - her voice energy actions inspires the common sense of common folk as well as the elite to brush aside the limiting images we have of growing older.



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Ashton Applewhite IS the Thomas Paine of the eldering revolution that's - joy of joys - surging around us.  Changing the culture IS a tall order.  Ashton pointed out on Thursday night that we've seen a range of social issues addressed & turned around.  It's time to stand up & be counted, time to make ourselves heard & heeded.

When I was in high school, the age for voting dropped from 21 to 18.  What once seemed radical seemed right.  Interracial marriage become legal in all 50 states.  What once seemed radical seemed right.  Gender issues were addressed instead of ignored.  In the past years, we've seen amazing changes on LGBT issues.  Ashton closed her presentation with the rallying cry, "There's Gay Pride.  Let's hear it for Age Pride!"

My friends know that the more something touches my heart, the more difficult it is for me to write about.  I heard saw experienced Ashton several days ago.  Even now, it's a challenge to put down all the thoughts feelings inspirations she stirred in me listening to her clarity, her clear message about what I call full-throttle living, from start to stop.

Ashton, thank you for your incredible manifesto, you wonderful presentation at Book Culture, your presence rallying the troops to the cause dearest to my heart. 

Tom would be proud.




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