Thoughts on My 75th Birthday

Published on November 22, 2018

Today I celebrate a new milestone with the arrival of my 75th birthday and I can’t believe how fast the years have gone by. I’ve always had a sense of urgency and the feeling of running out of time, even as a child. It’s gotten stronger with age, and it’s still part of me today.

But, I am not finished!

As you have heard me say many times before, relationships are everything and I feel extremely blessed. Over the course of my life, so many people, from all walks of life, have shared their stories and enhanced my journey. And, I hope I have done the same for each person in my life.

It’s hard to deny that I am in the final set, the fourth quarter, or in the 7th inning stretch of my life, but as I did as a youngster in Long Beach, California, I have chosen to live every day of my life with passion and purpose – because life is truly precious.

Coretta Scott King once said, “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”

Each of you is an influencer, and I hope you will continue to use your platform, your voice, your actions and your power to continue to fight for equality and to inspire others.

Thank you for sharing your journey and for enhancing mine.