In 1971, I attended an unusual philosophy class as a student at UConn in Storrs. Walking into Dr. Len Krimmerman’s office, where our seminars were held, I saw a man sitting on a stool and holding a cello in the center of the cozy room. After tuning the A string to a tuning fork, he played a scale or two as if to tune up our ears.

When he stopped, Len introduced the six of us to John Holt, educator, child advocate, proponent of homeschooling and author of “How Children Fail and How Children Learn.”

That day, the subject for class discussion was adult learning rather than child education. At age 48, Holt had only recently begun learning to play the cello with no prior musical experience. His message to us was: “It’s never too late.”

After playing the first movement of the Brahms E-minor Sonata, he put down his bow and shared his two favorite proverbs: Shaw’s “Be sure to get what you like, or else you will have to like what you get” and an old Spanish saying, “‘Take what you want,’ says God, ‘and pay for it.’”

He went on to say that it’s not easy to find out what we really like or want.

“All our lives other people have been hard at work trying to make us do what they want - while making us think that we want to do it.”

About teachers for adult learners, Holt believed that part of learning any difficult act, like music or writing, involves how to teach yourself and how to best use the teaching of others. Basically, his message was, “just do it.”

As a 24-year-old who had recently lost my husband in the Vietnam war and who was living on a campus in revolt against the war, Holt’s passion for learning and doing stuck with me. It gave me a curious kind of hope. He was a refreshing change from the rest of my educational experience.

More than 50 years later, I’m still thinking about Holt’s discipline and whimsy to pursue something he thought he had no talent for but yearned to do. Today, I also tell myself, “It’s almost too late – get busy!”

We need this kind of demonstration of hope and optimism especially as we continue with the Covid siege. I’m delighted with the number of people around me in their 70s, 80s and 90s who seem to have heard the call, “it’s never too late,” and are writing books or becoming photographers, potters, painters, calligraphers, musicians.

John Holt went on to publish “Never Too Late: My Musical Life Story” shortly before his death at the youthful age of 62 in 1985 in the midst of the AIDS crisis.

Here’s a sample of folks in our local community: Mystic artist Lois Constantine published a magnificent book in her mid-eighties, “Robert Brackman Remembered,” about her experience as a student and friend of the international artist when he lived in Noank (it’s available for purchase at Mystic Museum of Art in downtown Mystic).

Muriel Whipple Haddon, a popular piano teacher for more than 50 years, wrote and self-published a historical narrative, “Homespun Lore,” at age 92, and hand-sold every book printed (750 copies) before her death at age 99.

Virgil Huntley, who lived on Pearl Street in Mystic for more than 70 years, published his first book, “John Huntley, Immigrant of Boston” in his late sixties and went on to research and write three more. When he moved into assisted living in his late 90s, Virgil continued to correspond with his fans until his death at age 101.

Artist Trisha Gabel, 88, who lives at Stoneridge in Stonington, had her first solo exhibit in 10 years last September 2022.

Historian Nell Painter, retired from Princeton University at 64, enrolled at Rhode Island School of Design, became an artist and then published her memoir, “Old in Art School,” at age 76.

Andy Rosenzweig of Westerly (and ageless!) retired from the NYPD, the Manhattan D.A.’s office and the Hartford Police Department as a consultant, and is publishing a series of riveting police procedural crime novels.

Congratulations to all of you out there who are carrying on with creative activities against all odds – especially age and disability. In my earlier career as a dietitian, I used to say: “You are what you eat.”

In recent years, I’ve changed my tune: “You are also what you think.”

Ruth W. Crocker lives in Mystic and shares writing inspiration on RuthWCrocker.com and MysticRiverWriters.org. Contact her at ruthwcrocker@gmail.com.