"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age." ~ Sophia Loren ~
When 80-year old Janey Cutler was escorted out onto the stage of Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium by Ant McPartlin for the initial televised auditions of the 2010 season of Britain’s Got Talent, no one expected this tiny songstress to pull a Susan Boyle moment.
Cutler, who hails from Wishaw, a former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland located 15 miles south-east of Glasgow is a seasoned mother of seven, grandmother to 13 and great grandmother of four, but as her name was announced to take her place in front of an audience of 3,000 she appeared hesitant, perhaps a bit overwhelmed.
Judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan were polite and welcoming to her nonetheless, perhaps in deference to her age: they were all in for a shock.
Cutler belted out her own interpretation of “No Regrets,” the cabaret song made famous in 1960 by Edith Piaf and she won the hearts of all, receiving a standing ovation as well as continuing on to the very last rounds of BGT.
Even though Cutler’s subsequent performances appeared more polished and she was gussied up a bit, there were slight problems with intonation and a certain stiffness that was not present in the audition taping. Ultimately, she and the other finalists lost the top title to a gymnast troupe known as Spellbound.
The video below shows it was not so much a Susan Boyle moment but more a Betty White Facebook generation moment, which is best referred to as “Elder Cool” a term coined by John H. Green, Ph.D in his book, In Elder Cool Time.
What is “Elder Cool” you ask? Well, according to the editorial review of Green’s Book – “You are Elder Cool if you decide it is time to teach others based on the wisdom of your aging process. Elder represents a purpose-evolving life experienced teacher, and cool is accepting the aging process with grace and dignity. Elder Cool is grace under challenge...”
When I finally grow up, I want to be just like Janey, Betty or Sophia – Elder Cool.
3 comments:
I want to be Elder Cool too! Outstanding!!
It is so true that our age is much in our mind. Sure, the body might put some limitations on what we can do, but that's been the case for many of us even when we were younger.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Barry - ME TOO!!!!!!! :-D
Lee - "Our age" is a state of mind only. My comment was not meant to offend merely to point out it's purely a state of mind - that's why I'm not grown up yet! LOL!
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