Patti Smith says turning 79 made one thing clear

"I'm going to be 79 years old. You know, my mother only lived to be 82 and suddenly, chronology has a different meaning,"

"Because I've always sort of been a youngish person and always, you know, survived whatever came up. But you start thinking about it, you know, not intentionally, but you know, when I think about it, in just a little over a year, I'll be 80 years old. That's a number,"

"And I have so much to do and so many things I want to do, so many things I want to write,"

"I work every day. I work hard. It might not always be something that the people will see or anyone will benefit by, but I do my work. Whether it's a domestic task or writing a poem or doing a performance or speaking to you, I do my work,"

Patti Smith, aged 79, says aging has intensified her awareness of time and sharpened her determination to keep creating. She notes that her mother's lifespan of 82 altered her sense of chronology and prompted thoughts about nearing eighty. Smith reports having many projects to pursue and things she wants to write. She acknowledges occasional dark, disenfranchised feelings but describes returning like a boomerang. Smith maintains a daily work ethic, performing domestic tasks, writing poems, mounting performances, and speaking publicly. She reflects on multiple losses yet wants to continue living fiercely and hopes to reach 102.

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