COME TO THE EDGE

[A 4-Minute Read]

COME TO THE EDGE

I’ve taken Gandhi’s quote to heart: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Who am I as a model of Elder in the world?

Will this model inspire others? Will others see themselves in me and become more courageous, take more risks? Be willing to step into their power?

Will this Elder open new possibilities for others as they grow old, and have them see the benefits and costs of being an Elder?

Will I be able to present myself as a powerful change agent and actually make a difference in the world?

Will I be able to bring wisdom to decision-making so we stop causing harm and greater suffering?

The inner voice of “shouldn’t, can’t, not good enough, imposter,” were like spam calls throughout my day.

Then, of course, the internal questioning of my sanity: “At your age. Are you crazy? Why would you leave a very stable past for an uncertain future?”

But then I remember the poem.

“Come to the edge,” he said. “We can’t, we’re afraid!” they responded. “Come to the edge,” he said. “We can’t, we will fall!” they responded. “Come to the edge,” he said. And so they came. And he pushed them. And they flew.”

― Guillaume Apollinaire

Letter to my CLIENTS AND PAID BOARD director POSITIONS

To: Current Clients & Paid Advisory and Board Assignments

Re: Announcement – The Declaration

This was my freshman picture in Dental School, 1966. And this was me in April 2026.

Sixty years. That’s a good run. No complaints.

And now, at this stage of life, I get to take my own advice. Not quote it. Not teach it. Live it.

Trust what’s now unfolding. I’m listening to that quieter voice that doesn’t argue, doesn’t negotiate, just points.

My final horizon isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s in my face.

My runway? Let’s just say they’re not adding any more asphalt.

And here’s the truth: The capacities that got me through those sixty years — drive, building, solving, pushing — useful, yes… but not sufficient for what’s next.

Something else is required now.

And it’s not just personal.

My colleagues and I are very close — closer than most people realize — to having Elder become real in the world. Not as an idea. Not as a nice concept. As a lived, recognized presence.

A presence that can repair the world.

And frankly, the world could use it. Things are frayed. Fast. Loud. Reactive. Threatening. You don’t need a study to see it. Just turn on the news — or better yet, don’t.

Elders don’t fix everything. But they stabilize. They bring perspective where there is none.

Elders interrupt the drift. And here’s what’s different now:

The resources are here. The people are here. The structures are rapidly forming.

We’re on the very leading edge of the “tipping point,” ready to break through to the Major Majority.

The conversations are happening locally, nationally, and globally.

Even AI — of all things — is now part of the mix.

What used to feel “someday” … is now standing at the front door.

And for me?

My attention is clear. My intention is set. That quiet, persistent voice — the one I’ve learned not to ignore — is saying: Finish this.

Help bring Elder as a reality across the line.

So, a practical note — because even Elders have calendars: My consulting, directing, and paid advisory work will conclude at the end of June.

For my middle-aged clients working to build stability in their professional or personal lives, we’ll figure out which coaching approach would work best and which coach can deliver it when we speak in May and June. There are some great teachers out there.

If you’re engaged with me on transitioning from Older to Elder, I am going to ask you to stick around.

For our calls in May and June, let’s get complete. Let’s look clearly at what’s next for you and what will support you. And then — like it or not — we’ll both step forward into the future that’s already coming.

No drama.

Just… onward.

So, if you are a current consulting client, schedule your last two calls. My board meetings are already on my schedule, and we’ll handle the replacement then.

That declaration isn’t just mine to make. It belongs to everyone willing to carry the conversation forward.

GIVEN MY DELARATION, MY ASK…

I am asking not because this Substack needs “followers.” Because the world needs Elders.

We are standing at a moment in history where speed has outrun wisdom, reaction has replaced reflection, and growing old has been reduced to maintenance, entertainment, and decline management.

This publication exists to interrupt that drift.

If these essays, conversations, and inquiries have helped you see aging, purpose, responsibility, or your own life differently, then send them to someone else standing at that same threshold.

A friend. A colleague. A parent. A partner. Someone quietly asking: “What is my life now for?”

Recommend this Substack. Share an article. Forward a conversation.

Not as a promotion. As participation.

Because Elder does not emerge in isolation. It emerges through people willing to carry the conversation forward.

And if enough of us do that? Something rare becomes possible:

A culture guided not only by knowledge and power — but by wisdom, perspective, and presence.

That’s the leap.

And frankly, it’s time.

HOW TO HELP MOVE THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD

· Click the “Recommend” button on Substack.

· Forward a post to someone who’s entering the later chapters of life.

· Share an essay on LinkedIn, Facebook, or in your own conversations.

· Invite others to subscribe to the entire suite of Elder publications.

· Most importantly: talk about these ideas out loud. Conversations create culture.

Simple actions. Real impact.

Come to the edge with me.