By Tino Mantella
TLG Partner & Senior Advisor
It looks like whoever wins the 2024 Presidential election will be serving some or all of their term while in their 80s. Many Americans don’t want to see an 80-year-old in the White House. Many humans perceive aging boomers as a group whose most productive years are behind them. This writing is not about me being an advocate for either presidential candidate. But I am saying we shouldn’t expect older generations to be expected to slow down and wait for death to come knocking.
Yes, no one can argue as we age, we slow down physically, but Yūichirō Miura climbed Mount Everest when he was 80. Top that you 20 and 30-year-olds! Nelson Mandela captured the attention of the world when he became the President of South Africa at age 76 and was an impactful leader well into his 80s. The famed artist Michelangelo, also in his late 80s, completed painting the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Ruth Bader Ginsburg left a lasting impact on civil rights while authoring many significant opinions in her role on the Supreme Court well into her 80s.
I am not 80, but I can tell you that I want to have a purpose and to be making a difference as long as I can. Don’t count me out, and don’t count us out. Older people don’t want sympathy or empathy, they want to be in the game. And don’t be surprised if they kick a younger person’s butt in that tennis match, card game, spelling bee, dance contest, or whatever they endeavor to do.
Tino
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Cell: 678-984-8528