Here’s a great weekend read, courtesy of the New York Times Magazine (“Old Masters at the top of their game“). The subtitle tells the story: “After 80, some people don’t retire. They reign.”

It’s a deceptively simple look at the lessons of aging. An essay by Lewis H. Latham, accented by brief excerpts from a series of interviews with people still active in their professions at an advancing age, including Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (81), Academy Award-winning actor Christopher Plummer (84), filmmaker Frederick Wiseman (84), and painter Carmen Herrera (99).

All this accompanied by some stunning portraits by photographer Erik Madigan Heck, which are a feast in themselves.

We’re all heading in the same direction, so these observations from those still in the game past age 80 offer instructive insights.

Here’s one from Plummer, when asked, “I keep hearing that staying in shape is crucial past a certain age. Anything else?”

Yes. And so is doing the work. It uplifts you. The idea that you’re doing what you love. It’s very important. It’s very sad that most people in the world are not happy with their lot or with their jobs and they can’t wait to retire. And when they retire, it’s like death. .?.?. They sit at home and watch the television. And that is death. I think you’ve got to continue. We never retire. We shouldn’t retire. Not in our profession. There’s no such thing. We want to drop dead onstage. That would be a nice theatrical way to go..

And yes, I did manage to miss posting this morning. I was instead finishing last minute preparations for the annual meeting of the Kaaawa Beach Owners Association, which I currently serve as president. The meeting went well, and tomorrow I’ll be back to blogging on a more typical schedule.