it was never too late essay

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Tracing Quotations

It’s Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been

George Eliot? Adelaide Anne Procter? Apocryphal? Anonymous?

Dear Quote Investigator: My favorite quotation about untapped potential and enduring spirit is attributed to the prominent Victorian novelist George Eliot:

It is never too late to be what you might have been.

This popular saying has been printed on refrigerator magnets, posters, shirts, and key chains. But I have never seen the source specified. Are these really the words of George Eliot?

Quote Investigator: George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans who died in 1880. Researchers have been unable to locate this quotation in her books or letters. Currently, the ascription to Eliot has no substantive support.

The earliest evidence of an exact match known to QI appeared in “Literary News: A Monthly Journal of Current Literature” in 1881. The editor held a contest to gather the best quotations from Eliot’s oeuvre. The following was the announcement printed in the April 1881 issue: [1] 1881 April, Literary News Prize Question No. 31: Subject: Gems from George Eliot, Quote Page 113, Publisher and Editor: F. Leypoldt, New York. (Google Books Full View) link

Prize Question No 31. Subject: Gems from George Eliot. Quote the most striking passage known to you from George Eliot’s writings; not to exceed thirty words. Answers due May 20.

In June 1881 the excerpts submitted by readers were printed in the periodical; however, they were not fully vetted for accuracy. Also, some entries did not specify the originating text. For example, these four items were included in the list. Boldface has been added to excerpts: [2] 1881 June, Literary News Prize Question No. 31: Subject: Gems from George Eliot, (Quote Number 23), Start Page 176, Quote Page 177, Publisher and Editor: F. Leypoldt, New York. (Google Books Full … Continue reading

We present herewith the selections made by our readers from the writings of George Eliot. Excluding all that exceed the prescribed limit of thirty words, we present herewith seventy-one selections. … 21. “Our deeds determine us as much as we determine our deeds.”—Adam Bede 22. “A woman’s choice generally means taking the only man she can get.” —Middlemarch. 23. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” 24. “I’m not denyin’ the women are foolish; God Almighty made ’em to match the men.”

Statement 21 was correct though truncated. Statement 22 was slightly inaccurate; the novel used the word “usually” instead of “generally”. Statement 23 has never been found in the works of Eliot. Statement 24 did not list a source, but it did appear in “Adam Bede”.

This important citation with the incorrect attribution of the target quotation was identified by Professor Leah Price. After 1881 quotation number 23 started to appear in a variety of publications credited to George Eliot, and “Literary News” may have been the prime locus for its dissemination.

A very interesting partial match for the saying appeared earlier in a poem in 1859. Details are given further below.

Here are additional selected citations in chronological order.

A thematic precursor was included in a lecture published in London in 1847. The following passage highlighted the possibility of growth and accomplishment late in life: [3] 1847, Sequel to Lectures Delivered at Literary and Mechanics’ Institutions by William Henry Leatham, “Lecture 1: The Rise, Growth, Maturity, and Prospects of English Literature, &c, … Continue reading

It is never too late to become a scholar, or a great man. Cato, the censor, learnt Greek in his old age. King Alfred was twelve years old before he could repeat his alphabet. Cromwell was forty-two years of age before he fought his first battle—and Blake was fifty before he entered the navy.

In 1859 the poet Adelaide Anne Procter released “The Ghost in the Picture Room” in the special Christmas issue of the London periodical “All the Year Round” which was edited by Charles Dickens. QI believes that the following couplet embodied a strong conceptual match for the quotation under investigation and a partial syntactic match:

No star is ever lost we once have seen, We always may be what we might have been.

The larger context within the work discussed the possibility of leading a “noble life”. The vicissitudes of subsisting might deflect one from pursuing an ideal path, but the author contended that crucial alternatives were not foreclosed, and one might still pursue a “noble life” at any time. The poem became better known under the title “A Legend of Provence”: [4] 1859 December 13, All the Year Round: A Weekly Journal, Conducted by Charles Dickens, (The Haunted House: The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round. Containing the amount of two ordinary … Continue reading [5] 1864, The Poems of Adelaide A. Procter by Adelaide Anne Procter, Poem: A Legend of Provence, Start Page 181, Quote Page 191, Ticknor and Fields, Boston, Massachusetts. (Google Books Full View) link

Have we not all, amid life’s petty strife, Some pure ideal of a noble life That once seemed possible? Did we not hear The flutter of its wings, and feel it near, And just within our reach? It was. And yet We lost it in this daily jar and fret, And now live idle in a vague regret; But still our place is kept, and it will wait, Ready for us to fill it, soon or late. No star is ever lost we once have seen, We always may be what we might have been. Since good, tho’ only thought, has life and breath, God’s life—can always be redeemed from death; And evil, in its nature, is decay, And any hour can blot it all away; The hopes that, lost, in some far distance seem. May be the truer life, and this the dream.

Procter’s couplet was memorable, and it has continued to circulate up to the present day. In 1879 “Replies: A Weekly Journal of Question and Answer” printed the words within a response to a query about the second line: [6] 1879 December 20, Replies: A Weekly Journal of Question and Answer, Conducted by Malcolm C. Salaman, Volume 2, Number 38, Answers to Correspondents, Quote Page 189, Column 1, Published by The … Continue reading

Devorgill.—The line, ‘We always may be what we might have been,’ occurs in a passage in the ‘Legend of Provence,’ by Adelaide Anne Procter— ‘No star is ever lost we once have seen, We always may be what we might have been.’

In 1881 the quotation being traced was printed in “Literary News” as noted previously. The expression was submitted by a reader of the periodical and no source was designated:

In 1884 the saying was included in an article about Eliot published in the “Illinois School Journal’. The phrase appeared in a section called “Extracts” that listed twenty quotes attributed to Eliot. [7] 1884 February, Illinois School Journal, General Exercises by Edward Bangs, (Discussion of George Eliot: 1820-1880), Start Page 250, Quote Page 250, Normal, Illinois. (Google Books Full View) link

In 1887 “The English Language: Its Grammar, History and Literature” was published, and a section about George Eliot’s prose style praised her work exuberantly: [8] 1887, The English Language: Its Grammar, History and Literature by J. M. D. Meiklejohn (John Miller Dow Meiklejohn), Quote Page 365, D.C. Heath & Company, Boston, Massachusetts. (Google Books … Continue reading

Her power is sometimes almost Shakespearian. Like Shakespeare, she gives us a large number of wise sayings, expressed in the pithiest language. The following are a few:— “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” “It is easy finding reasons why other people should be patient.” “Genius, at first, is little more than a great capacity for receiving discipline.”

The maxim was not universally embraced. In 1896 a book titled “The Education of the Central Nervous System” was sharply critical because the author contended that training in the early years of life was essential: [9] 1896, The Education of the Central Nervous System: A Study of Foundations, Especially of Sensory and Motor Training by Reuben Post Halleck, Quote Page 94, Macmillan Company, New York. (Google Books … Continue reading

From this mistaken notion arose such adages as: “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” It would be nearer the truth to say: “It is always too late to be what you might have been.” With each advancing year, this becomes an absolute truth in the case of the vast majority who have reached the age of twenty.

In 1897 William DeVere, self-described tramp poet of the West, published a short piece titled “Horse Philosophy” that included a set of adages and a rephrased unattributed version of Procter’s words: [10] 1897, Jim Marshall’s New Planner and Other Western Stories (Specially adapted for public reading) by William De Vere, Horse Philosophy, Quote Page 74, M. Witmark & Sons, New York. (Google … Continue reading

And try to do to others as you’d have them do to you. Remember that no star is lost that you might once have seen, Remember that you always may be what you might have been, No matter what your task in life be sure you never shirk,

In 2011 “The New Yorker” magazine published “Middlemarch and Me: What George Eliot Teaches Us” by Rebecca Mead who discussed the quotation and its mysterious ascription to Eliot. Mead’s stance was skeptical, and she recounted the words of Professor Leah Price: [11] 2011 February 14, The New Yorker, Life and Letters: Middlemarch and Me: What George Eliot teaches us by Rebecca Mead, Start Page 76, Quote Page 82, Column 2 and 3,The New Yorker Magazine, Inc., New … Continue reading

I’ve always assumed it was apocryphal. It shows up nowhere in full text searches of G.E.’s work. What’s strange is not that the attribution is so persistent but that it starts very early.

Price told Mead about the 1881 contest in “Literary News” that presented the first known instance of the quotation.

In conclusion, QI speculates that the quote attributed to George Eliot is traceable to the line written by Adelaide Anne Procter: “We always may be what we might have been”. In this scenario Procter’s statement would have been rephrased and then reassigned to Eliot. This process may have occurred in the mind of the individual who sent the quote to “Literary News”. Alternatively, the transition may have occurred in multiple steps. Perhaps future research will uncover these intermediary steps. Of course, other hypotheses are not ruled out.

(Great thanks to Karen Pfeiffer Jones @nykaren24 whose inquiry gave impetus to QI to formulate this question and initiate this exploration. Special thanks to Rebecca Mead and Leah Price for their very valuable efforts.)

Essay on Better Late Than Never

Students are often asked to write an essay on Better Late Than Never in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Better Late Than Never

Introduction.

“Better Late Than Never” is a popular saying that means it’s better to do something late than not doing it at all. It teaches us the value of time and encourages us to complete our tasks, even if we are late.

Importance of Time

Time is precious. Once gone, it never comes back. It’s important to do things on time. But if for some reason we can’t, we should still try to finish it. It’s better to be late than never.

Examples from Life

In real life, we see many examples of this saying. If we are late for school, it’s better to still go than miss the whole day. If we forget a friend’s birthday, it’s better to wish late than not at all.

In conclusion, “Better Late Than Never” is a wise saying. It teaches us to not give up even if we are late. It tells us that it’s never too late to do the right thing.

250 Words Essay on Better Late Than Never

The phrase “Better Late Than Never” is an old saying that teaches us about the value of time. It means that it is better to do something late than not doing it at all. It tells us that even if we are late in achieving our goals, we should not give up.

Understanding the Phrase

“Better Late Than Never” is a simple yet powerful phrase. It tells us that if we have missed the right time to do something, we should not feel sad or lose hope. Instead, we should still go ahead and do it, even if it’s late. This phrase encourages us to keep trying and not give up.

Importance in Life

This phrase plays a key role in our lives. For example, if we start studying for an exam a bit late, it’s still better than not studying at all. Similarly, if we apologize for a mistake late, it’s better than never saying sorry. This phrase gives us hope and courage to face challenges, even if we are late.

In conclusion, “Better Late Than Never” is a wise saying that teaches us not to lose hope, even if we are late. It motivates us to keep trying and never give up. It tells us that it’s always better to do something late than never doing it at all. So, let’s keep this phrase in mind and apply it in our life.

500 Words Essay on Better Late Than Never

The phrase “Better Late Than Never” is a well-known English saying that has been used for many years. It suggests that it’s always good to do something, even if it is late, rather than not doing it at all. This phrase can be applied to many situations in our daily lives.

The Importance of the Phrase

The phrase “Better Late Than Never” is very important. It teaches us that it is never too late to start doing something good or beneficial. Sometimes we might feel that we are too late to start something new, like learning a musical instrument or a new language. This phrase encourages us not to give up, and to start, even if we feel it’s late. It’s about not missing opportunities and making the best use of our time.

Examples in Daily Life

We can see examples of “Better Late Than Never” in our daily lives. Suppose you have a project due tomorrow, and you haven’t started yet. You might think it’s too late and decide not to do it. But it’s better to start late and finish the project than not do it at all. You might not get the best grade, but you will learn something and avoid a zero.

Another example can be seen in our health habits. It’s never too late to start eating healthy or exercising. Even if you have been eating junk food all your life, it’s better to start eating healthy late than never.

Role in Personal Growth

The phrase “Better Late Than Never” also plays a big role in our personal growth. It helps us to stay motivated and keep trying, even when things get tough. It encourages us to take action, even if we think it’s too late. This can lead to personal development and growth.

For example, if you are an adult who never finished high school, it’s not too late to go back to school and get your diploma. It might be challenging, but it’s better to do it late than never.

In conclusion, the phrase “Better Late Than Never” is a valuable life lesson. It teaches us to never give up, to seize opportunities, and to strive for personal growth. It shows us that it’s never too late to start something good or beneficial. So, remember, it’s always better late than never!

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Biggest Concern For The Future
Essay on Biggest Fear
Essay on Biggest Regret In Life

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

‘It’s never too late’ – Origin, Meaning, Expansion, Importance

Category: Proverbs, Sayings, Idioms and Phrases On August 8, 2016 By LightHouse

Origin of the phrase.

The earliest written form of the proverb, ‘it’s never too late’, is often attested to be in the works of the novelist George Eliot in the late nineteenth century.

However, it is likely that by the time Eliot wrote the proverb down, people had been saying it to each other for centuries.

This proverb, “it’s never too late”, means that ‘it does not matter how late it is, a person should always take the opportunity to pursue their goals’. It means that:

there is always time to start what we wanted to start,
there is always time to pick up again something that we had stopped doing.
the present moment is always a great time to follow our dreams.

This proverb encourages us to get to work. It emphasizes on the fact that that a new task can be started anytime and there is no need to waste any further time.

To what does ‘it’ refer, for example? It can be whatever activity the person using the proverb wants it to refer to.

This proverb is often cited as an answer to a complaint: when people complain ‘it is too late to do a thing’, other can reply that ‘it’s never too late’.

The idea of being too late is crucial to this proverb. Too late can be many things. It might mean missing a deadline for school. Or, it might mean getting too old to pursue a certain activity. Often, the idea of what is too late or on time is a subjective one.

The aim of this proverb is to ‘motivate people to begin projects that they had been putting off’ . It’s never to late to learn something new. There’s always time to get an education. This proverb can be used to combat ageism.

Often, the phrase ‘it’s never too late’ is often incorporated into a longer phrase. For example, people sometimes say ‘it’s never too late to begin’ or ‘it’s never too late to change your life’.

The importance of this proverb.

1. Motivation: This proverb encourages people to start on their projects and realize their dreams.

2. Uplifting: When people feel despairing, as if they have missed their chance to do something they wanted to do, the proverb ‘it’s never too late’ can uplift them and banish those despairing feelings.

3. Countering prejudice: It is often said that at a certain point in our lives, it is too late to begin some projects. For example, there are those who think that pensioners are too old to go to high school or university or that people who missed out on passing their driving test the first time around have lost their opportunity completely. The proverb ‘it’s never too late’ assures us that, no matter how old we are, we can start anything that we want to!

4. Helping with work stress: In our working lives, we are often hit with deadlines that we cannot always meet. The proverb ‘it’s never too late’ encourages us to believe that it is never too late to salvage a situation.

5. Recovering relationships: This proverb is often cited in a romantic context. It’s never too late to tell the love of our life that we love them or to reconcile after some time apart.

Conclusion.

The proverb ‘it’s never too late’ is a positive and encouraging phrase that enables people to live life to the full. If we live by this proverb, rather than feeling like one missed opportunity means that we can never go back and start all over again, we know that it is in our power to begin whatever projects we want to begin – at any time of life. We can apply this proverb to all areas of life, whether in a professional context or in a romantic and personal context.

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It’s never too late. .

The scene is familiar. You wake up one morning and the page of the calendar turns.

Imperceptibly, you’ve crept one day closer towards that test, that exam.

Maybe time passed and you didn’t realize it.

Maybe it wasn’t all that important to you.

Maybe the only reason that you realized that time had passed was because somebody from up above was nagging you, day after day, telling you…

“Wake up!”, they say.

“You need to study! Don’t you care about your future? What will you do if you rank number 5 again, but from the bottom of the class?”

It’s not a great feeling, is it?

You stare at the calendar from where you are, and then you look at the books that you have to read, then you stare at the calendar again.

Before long, you sigh, you sit down, and you begin scrolling TikTok.

I know that feeling all too well.

The sense that time is running out.

The feeling that a large, unstoppable force is coming to you.

The feeling that no matter what, you must run away – all too familiar, yet so common to each one of us, a feeling that we should almost always rather avoid, by human nature or instinct.

The teacher, the parent, the educational consultant would tell you, if only you had planned, you would have averted this situation:

The ocean, they would say, is something that cannot be boiled.

The task is something that must be broken down into meaningful and manageable chunks.

Yet at the end of the day, human beings are human beings, subjected to human constraints, inclinations, and also patterns of thought.

It is almost inevitable that somewhere along the way, our foot may slip.

The divine plan that we thought we would execute, we sway away from, forgetting what we intended to do, we find ourselves running away as our hands move from the book to the phone, from English into videos of restaurant workers dancing.

And before we know it, there we are, in the thrall of sweet escape.

I want you to confront that feeling of hopelessness and remember, for a quick moment, that the time has not run out.

You may have that oppressive feeling as if a sword of Damocles hangs over you and before long, perhaps, the usual suspects shall appear. Doubt, guilt, self-hatred – the sensation that “no matter what I do, it will change nothing.”

“Whatever I read at this point, they will just be words.”

There they are, the self-defeating thoughts come one after another, building from a trickle into a flow and eventually into a deluge that comes to define every single day, before which the pages of the calendar themselves are washed away in words that you told yourself, messaging that eventually led the days to come and pass, eventually leading you to the day of the trial, on which you decided that nothing would have changed anyway, and you call the outcome fate.

I want to remind you that it is not too late. You may think that you are unable to do anything. But that is not the reality.

True, you may be one step closer towards a challenge that you find difficult to overcome.

True, you may not be able to accumulate the skill, the perspicacity, the knowledge, ability, that you hoped for or that would bring you beyond the boundary line.

No problem whatsoever.

But have you ever thought to ask yourself, can it really be that your efforts will mean nothing?

Can it truly be that even if you step forward at this point in time, you will not move further?

What you do in this single moment, you think is but a simple drop in the bucket.

A step that once taken is the end of it.

But I believe something different.

Because I believe that how you made that decision, feeling as if nothing would change, will repeat itself.

If nothing matters in the future, then surely nothing matters now.

Because what is the future but something that is forever becoming the present?

And what is the present, but something that is continually evolving into the past?

When you speak of future outcomes, of which there is uncertain and contingent nature, remember that they are not as far away as you think. Because eventually, they will come.

You say you’ve abandoned the journey because you cannot get the grade that you want.

The A*, the scholarship, anything else at the end of the day.

But right now, I want you to wake up.

Wake up, child.

Did you think this was just about the grade?

Did you forget why you came to this website in the first place?

You didn’t come to just find a random strategy in order to excel.

Well, that was certainly part of it. But if that was all you thought, then you had missed the entire point. Because the point here was that you would learn to appreciate language, its gift, and everything that it would bring along with it.

This was something that had always existed in a plane apart from just your worldly or material achievements. And you are saying now that it is meaningless simply because you only have a month and some change in front of you to make the difference that you thought in the moment of weakness that you should be able to make?

Well, since you are here right now, instead of browsing another 15 TikTok videos that will eventually fade into nothingness but a memory of a dancing girl with no particular talent, you may as well recall for a moment that everything in life builds upon everything else. Because everything is holistic, whether you think so or you don’t.

Every single one of your efforts, in a way that may be unknown to you at this point or at this stage of your life, will somehow count, if not necessarily enough in such a way that it will transform your grade, then definitely still in terms of transforming your mindset towards approaching this world.

Because you are here, you know that there is a chance.

Because you are here, you know that you have the power to change something. Yet you are spending your time avoiding the problem, transforming even this resource into material for procrastination rather than using it in its best form.

Leave that shattered thought behind.

You do not need it and it does not serve you.

Why should you allow an occupier to stand in the fertile territory of your mind when it does not help you?

You don’t believe me?

You want to give up?

Go ahead, drop your First Language English. Maybe you can pick up Cantonese or something like that, although for some reason I don’t think that an IGCSE for that exists.

Or you could do better.

You could read a single sample essay. You could then write a single essay. You could compare it on that particular day, thinking about the marking criteria, which in your head seem to make sense, yet somehow they differ from what you see on the site.

You could read a single article, thinking about the language it uses, how it affects you, what it impacts, the small little things that I ask you to focus upon, but that often you may ignore. You can ask a friend to read your work, sign up for a last-minute workshop, take a brief moment to reflect on what you are doing, why you want this grade, whatever grade it is, as you realign yourself to the future.

Remember, everything counts.

Even if you feel that you’ve not been running fast enough, don’t look away. The finish line is still ahead. The race didn’t end. And what you need to do right now is move ahead. It doesn’t matter what placing you get, because at the end of the day, you’re all going to the same destination – The destination – not of a grade, not of a specific checkpoint – certainly that of becoming better than you were, even if just by a little bit, as you move forward into a future rife and full of possibilities.

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‘It’s never too late’ – Origin, Meaning, Expansion, Importance

Origin of the phrase.

The earliest written form of the proverb, ‘it’s never too late’, is often attested to be in the works of the novelist George Eliot in the late nineteenth century.

However, it is likely that by the time Eliot wrote the proverb down, people had been saying it to each other for centuries.

This proverb, “it’s never too late”, means that ‘it does not matter how late it is, a person should always take the opportunity to pursue their goals’. It means that:

there is always time to start what we wanted to start, there is always time to pick up again something that we had stopped doing. the present moment is always a great time to follow our dreams. This proverb encourages us to get to work. It emphasizes on the fact that that a new task can be started anytime and there is no need to waste any further time.

To what does ‘it’ refer, for example? It can be whatever activity the person using the proverb wants it to refer to.

This proverb is often cited as an answer to a complaint: when people complain ‘it is too late to do a thing’, other can reply that ‘it’s never too late’.

The aim of this proverb is to ‘motivate people to begin projects that they had been putting off’. It’s never to late to learn something new. There’s always time to get an education. This proverb can be used to combat ageism.

The importance of this proverb.

1. Motivation: This proverb encourages people to start on their projects and realize their dreams.

5. Recovering relationships: This proverb is often cited in a romantic context. It’s never too late to tell the love of our life that we love them or to reconcile after some time apart.

Conclusion.

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English Essay, Paragraph, Speech on “It is Never Too Late to Begin Once Again” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

It is never too late to begin once again.

To err is human. We often slip-up and make mistakes. All of us have our moments of weakness. We commit errors or careless acts which we live to regret later

More than the adults such acts are more common, especially in young boys and girls. They drift aimlessly without giving a thought to the future. It is during this period that they pick up bad habits. These habits could be anything from smoking to bunking classes or even eve-teasing. Such is the age that they do not realize their mistakes. Attempts by elders to correct them are taken as insults by them.

However, most of them realize their mistakes after some time. They understand that what they have been doing till now was wastage of time, energy and money. They become wiser and mend their ways. They correct themselves and begin in earnest to reform themselves. This they begin by giving up bad company and bad habits. They start paying more attention to their future and their profession. Until and unless they do not commit any serious offense the society is always willing to give them a second chance.

This has happened to most of us. Those who have come back from the path of sin and self-pleasure very early in their lives are today much wiser and sensitive and better human beings. While those who have realized their mistakes late in their lives have much to regret. They are the ones who have in their pursuit of pleasure just lost find sincere friendship and relationships. These people can once again try to restart their lives. However, it will remain doubtful that they may become happy and useful citizens. This is so because too much time has gone for them to be accepted once again as a useful member of the society

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. » Expansion of Ideas » It’s Never Too Late to Mend

Expansion of an Idea – “It’s Never Too Late to Mend” for Students / Teachers / Parents

The proverb “It’s Never Too Late to Mend” emphasizes the importance of continuing efforts to make amends, even after a long period of time has passed. This proverb teaches us that it is never too late to take steps towards reconciliation, healing, and growth. It reminds us that it is never too late to make positive changes in our lives, relationships, and communities.

It’s Never Too Late to Mend

The proverb “It’s never too late to mend” suggests that no matter how difficult or hopeless a situation or relationship may seem, it is always possible to repair or improve it. This phrase implies that it is never too late to make amends, seek forgiveness, or take steps to resolve a conflict.

The proverb emphasizes the importance of perseverance and a positive attitude in the face of challenges. It encourages us to remain hopeful and to believe that positive change is possible, even when things may seem dire or impossible.

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Justin Morgan

May 2, 2024

published by phi beta kappa

Print or web publication, “it’s never too late”.

I have thought of myself as a writer from the time of my childhood. So, the best advice I ever received on the subject of writing was to never give up. I needed that directive because I had abandoned my dream of writing professionally, opting for what seemed a more practical career as a lawyer. “Lawyers write,” I told myself as a consolation. I could still experience the power of expressing myself on the page, and it could be for good causes. But very often the words lawyers write express the feelings and desires of others, things they themselves may not believe. The prospect of doing that forever was deeply unsatisfying. Writing was, for me, about telling the truth—or as near to the truth as could be found.

One evening in Manhattan, wrestling with these feelings, I went to see James Baldwin give a talk. Baldwin was the idol of my youth, the consummate truth-teller about the United States. I read his work obsessively, captivated by his marvelous style and lightning intelligence. It was thrilling to be in the same room with him. After he finished his talk, I stood in line to have him sign a copy of one of his books. I approached nervously, handed him my book and proceeded to tell him—much too rapidly, trying to fit everything into our brief encounter—how much his work meant to me. I ended, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but it’s too late.” He paused, looked up, and smiled. “It’s never too late,” he said. That was all I needed.

Annette Gordon-Reed is the Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at Harvard Law School, Professor of History in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She is the author of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family .

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It’s Never Too Late to Start (or Finally Finish) Your Novel

Janet clare on having a literary debut when you're no longer "a debutante in life".

The passage of time is relentless. We all know it. Whether you’re having fun or not. Whether the years are filled with sublime happiness or utter sadness, or, like most of us, with a combination of both. It just goes, and sometimes, our dreams go with it. We turn around and 10 or 20 years have whipped by and we are left to wonder what else we could have, should have, done.

As a lifelong reader, I admired writers above all and I’d always wanted to write. But it seemed there was never the time or the space or the confidence, to begin. Plus, I’d been married to a writer, which works for some, but not for me: not enough air and patience for two of us. Then everything changed: divorce, business shuttered, remarriage. Though well past 40, I finally sat down to write nearly every day. At first, it was a kind of journal, but after a year I decided it needed to have form, to tell a story, and I started a novel. I had no idea what a difficult goal I’d set for myself, didn’t know enough not to do it. And, so I kept writing until I found the heart of the story that later would become my first novel, Time Is the Longest Distance .

A year into it, I got sick. The kind of sick that alters your day-to-day existence and threatens your life. However, I was one of the lucky ones, (21 years later, here I am), and more than anything, once I got through to the other side, I just wanted to finish my book. I kept writing for another year until I had what I thought of as a first draft. But the real turning point came when I happened into an extension class at UCLA with the best of all possible teachers—someone who became a mentor, a guide. It’s likely I wasn’t always the oldest person in his class, although, sometimes, I might have been. But it didn’t matter, and I didn’t care. I rarely divulged any personal information, wanting to be as anonymous as possible to avoid any preconceptions. I threw out everything I’d written and started over, changing the story’s perspective from third person to first. Writing, as every writer knows, is rewriting. Fortunately, I had fallen in love with the process. I was hooked, and years later, after my mentor’s sudden and devastating death, I kept at it. I thought I couldn’t write without him somewhere in my life, but I discovered I could. He was that good, his wisdom became a part of me. I couldn’t not write. After a few more years and multiple drafts, I had a finished manuscript to send out—miraculously, it found an agent in New York. I thought my troubles were over. I was wrong. The agent did nothing, and I was beyond discouraged. After holding on far too long, I realized the wrong agent might as well be no agent, so I fired her and worked on a new book, although in the back of my mind I kept returning to my Australian story.

Yes, Australia. As an American, born in New York, raised in California, I’d always been intrigued by the most far-away places. Australia, Botswana, Patagonia, and I’ve been fortunate to travel to some of them. A number of years ago, I was told the true story of a man from Australia who, having spent most of his life in the United States, returned home for his father’s funeral only to find that he had a whole other family living on the other side of the country. It is, of course, a big country. But it got me thinking about families and secrets, and all the spaces where we can hide ourselves in a vast and solitary land, the distance between us not always measured in miles. I realized, too, that whenever I’d traveled to remote places, especially outside of cities, it was usually the sky and the air that made the greatest impact on me. And so I was drawn to the openness of the Australian outback, particularly to the old stock routes where cattle once ran. My interest grew as I learned how these routes were established, (by explorers on camels, with wells dug a days’ drive apart), and decided to set my story along the famous Canning Stock Route that runs from Halls Creek in the Kimberley of Western Australia to Wiluna in the mid-west. Crossing both the Gibson and Great Sandy deserts, 1,900 kilometers through some of the most isolated wilderness on the planet, the Canning is still considered the roughest outback track in the country. In thinking about my story, I wondered what it would be like for an American woman, a New Yorker, to find herself out of her element in a place she never expected to be.

In the early days of my research for the book, I connected with the flying doctors, those magnificent aeromedical professionals who offer emergency and primary health care to remote areas, and I was in touch with them when they rescued the famous art critic, Robert Hughes, after a near-fatal accident while filming in the way outback. “Yup, that was me,” my guy said, after swooping in and picking up the crew. “Notice we didn’t get any credit.” And, it was true, news reports rarely referred to the flying doctors, unsung, everyday heroes. I had conjured up a fictitious doctor in an early version of my novel, but he got lost in the dust of later drafts. It happens.

I read everything I could about Australia, visited museums, discovered the deadliest of snakes, the oddest of animals, a multitude of flora, and virtually stalked bikers from the Netherlands as they attempted the Canning Track. All the while, I listened to the beat of the great dead heart of the desert. What I discovered about research was to do it and forget it. Simply let everything you’ve learned become a part of you so that it seeps into your story. It certainly did for me, and, frankly, has never really left.

After I’d fired my original agent, I made a number of attempts to connect with the right person, until I finally gave up. But I still believed in my story. Meanwhile, I worked on two other books. . . for years. Finally, encouraged by the wonderful writing of an Australian friend, and still obsessed by the country itself, I pulled out my manuscript, looked it over, did a bit of sprucing up, and sent it off to a small Australian publisher. They loved it. I was thrilled. For an American writer to find a publisher in Australia, where my heart had traveled for so long, was perfect. My publisher didn’t change anything from the original story.

So, now, hardly a debutante in life, I am making my debut with Time Is the Longest Distance . It’s been quite a while getting here, and like most books, it went through many changes, as did I. But I truly believe in the power of never giving up, and I like to think it took just as long as it was supposed to. I write to be read, and hopefully this story will find an audience. But the most important thing I’ve learned, beyond the extraordinary joy of writing, was to never stop, to always make time to do what you love most, and above all, power on.

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Janet Clare

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It’s Never Too Late

written by: Dianne Moritz

As a writer, I found success late in life. Although I’ve been writing since childhood, I never dreamed I could actually publish anything. Still, life is full of surprises: creativity blossoms, connections are made, epiphanies happen, then, suddenly, it veers off in a direction previously unimaginable. In my mid-thirties, I felt dissatisfied and frustrated, so I went into therapy. I found a therapist who encouraged me to jot down my feelings and dreams in journals. I followed his advice. I scribbled nearly every night, which led to anecdotes, poems, stories, letters to editors, and opinion pieces. Reading women’s magazines, I noticed that most of them featured a last page personal essay. I can do that, I thought. I discussed this with my doctor, who said, “Go for it.” I complied. As the old adage goes, it’s never too late. After submitting my compositions to magazines and newspapers around the country, I scored my very first sale, a humor piece, to Woman’s World for $300, in 1983 at age 37. Another sale to them soon followed. Yes, I’m a late bloomer, but I’m in great company. Laura Ingalls Wilder published “Little House on the Prairie” at age 65. She eventually wrote an eight book series that is still popular today. It is the book that keeps on giving….inspiring a hit television show that aired from 1974-1982….and earning millions. Louisa May Alcott, author of “Little Women,” was 37 when it came out. She is quoted as saying, “ I want to do something splendid…something wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead…I shall write books. ” Her book has been adapted for six films to date, plus a few plays, several mini-series, an opera, a ballet, and a musical. Wow, she’s remembered alright. And everyone on the planet knows about JK Rowling, a divorced, single parent, who penned the Harry Potter series, spawning many block-buster movies, and raking in billions. But here’s the thing, when you’re passionate about something, it’s never about the money. If great success comes, it is merely icing on the cake. The legendary confessional poet, Charles Bukowski, wrote stories and poems for years while traveling around and working various jobs. Hearse Press published his first chapbook of poems in 1960. Bukowski was forty and working for the post office in Los Angeles. In 1969, he quit to write full-time. “ I have one of two choices – stay in the post office and go crazy…or stay out here and play at writer and starve. I have decided to starve. ” He completed his first novel “Post Office” less than a month later, at age 49. Of course, he didn’t starve, as Black Sparrow Press published most of his subsequent works. There are numerous writers who found success later in life. Children’s writer, and one of my Facebook friends, Laurie Wallmark, received her MFA and published her debut book, Dino Pajama Party, at 61. Five female STEM biographies followed. I was 54 when I sold my poem, SANTA LIVES, to Peter, Pauper, Press, who then published it as a holiday gift book. I subsequently sold 4 more picture books. My latest one came out right before my 76th birthday. A year later, I continue to write picture books, haiku, poetry for both kids and adults, as well as essays and editorials. Hey, google “late bloomers” and you’ll find scores of other older writers, and lots of late bloomers in other fields, too. Yes, it’s never too late to follow your passion, no matter what it is. Senior citizens run marathons. President Carter’s mother joined the Peace Corps. Nancy Pelosi’s daughter just released a documentary about her mother. So, wish upon a star, and follow your dreams whenever and wherever they take you.

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It’s Never Too Late

I’ve received countless emails from people asking for variations of the same thing:

I’m just now learning to draw now at ___ age, and now I feel like I’ve wasted all those years.

I stopped drawing when I had kids, and now I feel like I’m way behind.

I wasn’t creative growing up, and now I feel like I’ll never catch up.

The question underneath these feelings is: Is it too late for me to start making art?

And my whole-hearted, immediate answer is: No! Absolutely not!

This is not a race y’all. I don’t care if you’re 21, 65, or 102—it’s never too late to start making art.

Claude Monet didn’t begin painting until mid-life. He painted a little in his 30’s but didn’t fully discover his inimitable artistic style until his 40’s. Most of the paintings you would recognize by Monet were done in his 50’s-60s’s and he was making art well into his later years, including Water Lilies when he was 76!

Lisa Congdon didn’t begin making art until 32, and didn’t begin working full-time as an artist until over a decade later. She is currently 51, and is a well-known illustrator and has worked for huge clients (like MoMA!), exhibits her art in solo shows, sells art prints, and has published 8 books.

Ok, alright, so we know it can be done—you can start making art later in life. But how? Here are 4 tips on how to overcome the belief that it’s too late to start making art.

You have the drive to make art, you have the desire to share it with others, but you also know it’s not as good as you want it to be. And that contradiction can stop you from doing anything at all.

We have to remind ourselves that everyone has to start somewhere, no matter what age they are. So you have to start wherever you are. You’ll never wake up one day and feel like you’re good enough to start or good enough to share. The only way to get better, is to begin.

“There is never a perfect time to do anything. So it’s important to just begin, even when you aren’t quite ready.” –Lisa Congdon

Recognize the Strengths of Your Age

When Lisa Congdon began making art in her 30’s she believed she had an asset that younger artists didn’t: more self-awareness. She knew more about who she was and what she was interested in than she did decades ago. That self-awareness made it easier for her to hone in on her unique artistic style.

“I just started drawing the stuff I was interested in and I didn’t overthink it. It freed me a little bit.” –Lisa Congdon

Along with the more recognizable weaknesses, each decade also brings it’s own new strengths. Reminding yourself of the strengths of your age can help reframe how you think about your age and your art.

In your 20’s? Maybe you’re surrounded by other people who are also trying to find out who they are and what they’re passionate about, and interested in growing and learning.

In your 30’s? Maybe you have children in your life to serve as constant inspiration and shining examples of how to play.

In your 40’s? Maybe you’re beginning to tap into more self-awareness and who you are as a person.

In your 50’s? Maybe you’ve begun to realize what’s really important in life and feel more free to make art without the pressure of making money from it.

In your 60’s? Maybe you’re retired and have more time on your hands to make art freely.

In your 70’s? Maybe you have grandchildren who can make art alongside you.

In your 80’s? Maybe you have a lifetime of stories that you want to share with your family and friends through art.

In your 90’s? Maybe art is the way you keep your mind sharp and hands moving.

In your 100’s? Maybe you’re a kick butt granny/grandpa who does whatever the heck they want!

Draw for Fun, Not for Money

Making art as a career is wonderful and amazing, and obviously I endorse it because it’s what I do for a living. But you cannot BEGIN learning how to make art and aim to make money off your art at the same time. You have to first focus on your art, and later think about how you could turn it into a career, if that’s what you wish, though I’m also a strong evangelist for art as a hobby. You don’t have to make money off your art for it to be valuable and worthwhile.

My point is, you have to find yourself as an artist before you can sell yourself as an artist. Trying to mix the two separate processes from the beginning is a recipe for struggle and creative block.

“The minute you put all of the pressure on your art career to feed you is the minute it becomes extremely stressful.” –Lisa Congdon

Comparing Yourself to Others

Let’s cut to the chase. The real issue that the “is it too late?” question reveals is comparison. You are comparing yourself to other people and other people’s artistic journeys. They’ve already done this much by such-and-such age and I haven’t done anything! This mindset is where the sensation of needing to “catch up” and of “falling behind” originate.

It’s a matter of seeing other people’s accomplishments and setting those same expectations for ourselves immediately without thinking about that person’s journey, what they’ve been through, or how long they’ve been at it.

Everyone’s path is different and your’s probably happened the way it did for a reason. Maybe you needed that decade working as a science teacher to develop your passion for microbes which led you to creating abstract bacteria paintings. Maybe you needed those two decades being a mother to develop your taste for children’s stories which led you to making children’s books.

“I also had to work on embracing this idea that there is room for everyone. Just because someone else you admire has some amazing accomplishment doesn’t mean that your work has any less value, or that your path is any less significant.” –Lisa Congdon

Yes, learning to draw takes time. Yes, developing your artistic style takes time. None of this happens overnight. But that does not mean you should have started 20 years ago or that you can’t start now. You never know what your journey needed, but you can be confident that wherever life took you, it will somehow come through in your art. Because our art is who we are.

Six Rules for Making Art. Christine Nishiyama, Might Could Studios

Every person has a different story to tell and stories change as life rolls on. There’s plenty of room for all stories, all artists, and all ages.

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It’s Never Too Late To Start Over

It’s never too late to start over. To hit the pause button. Breathe. Then begin again.

You don’t need to lose yourself in the shuffle, get caught up in your mistakes and your fears and your anxieties. You don’t have to hold onto your anger or your sadness and carry it with you in a little jar. You are more than a little jar, waiting to be filled by unsatisfying things—material things, superficial love, addictions and vices and so many other negatives that leave you feeling emptier than before. You are more than that little jar you feel defines the person you are, so much so that you try to fit yourself in its glass walls, try to keep contained within the edges and not overflow.

Life is imperfect. It’s beautiful and complicated and burdensome and messy. And you are a part of it, a part that grows and changes and laughs and loves and gets broken and comes back together. But there will never be a time when you can’t just step back and start all over.

There is no rewind, but you can always restart, let go. Let go of the toxic friends, of the urge to gossip, of the anxieties over what he said and she said, of the worry you feel over a future you cannot control. Let go. It’s never too late to put down that jar you’re carrying and pull yourself out of it. Grab your legs and arms and brain and heart and soul and reconstruct them back into the self you’re supposed to be. Reshape. Remold. Reconnect. And begin again.

You are not supposed to be this static person, this person you’ve always been and always will be. The world is continually shifting, and you are continually moving within it, in whatever direction you want. If you don’t like that direction, turn. Don’t turn back. Don’t turn around. Just turn. Right. Left. Diagonal. Cut across the grass. Take a back road.

It’s never too late to spin things around for the better. To leave what’s been broken and acknowledge that you can’t put it back together exactly how it was. To smile at the things you cannot replace, cannot fix, cannot make perfect. Nothing is perfect. You are not perfect. So don’t drag around that little jar, the transparent jar of your imperfections for the world to see, for you to see as a constant reminder of the ways you’ve failed. Forget the jar. Forget how you’ve always been defined by it and define yourself by something new. Throw it down. Shatter it. Watch it fall and break and crush into a thousand tiny pieces and celebrate that change hurts, and that growth sucks. But now you are free falling, and it is terrifying, but terribly freeing.

Marisa Donnelly

Marisa is a writer, poet, & editor. She is the author of Somewhere On A Highway , a poetry collection on self-discovery, growth, love, loss and the challenges of becoming.

Keep up with Marisa on Instagram , Twitter , Amazon and marisadonnelly.com

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What Elder Christofferson suggests we say instead of ‘It’s never too late to repent’

In a recent video on social media, Elder D. Todd Christofferson said he’d been thinking about “the precious gift of repentance” offered by Jesus Christ.

He said he hears from time to time the phrase: “It’s never too late to repent.”

“I would say it’s more accurate to say, ‘It’s not too late to repent,’” Elder Christofferson said. “The scriptures tell us that it could be too late, or it can become too late.”

He added that the scriptures also tell us not to procrastinate. Then he quoted Doctrine and Covenants 45:2 : “Lest … in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.”

“I think everyone who’s hearing this message, for any of us, it’s not too late. But let’s not procrastinate, because someday it could be too late,” Elder Christofferson said. “I think this is what President Nelson has in mind when he talks about daily repentance. Not that we keep repenting of the same thing over and over again, but that we make these corrections, usually small course corrections, each day as we seek to grow in our discipleship. I say again, what a precious gift is repentance.”

Watch the full video below.

▶ You may also like: 5 truths about repentance I relied on to overcome addiction—that I want everyone to know

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A Culture Warrior Takes a Late Swing

The editor and essayist Joseph Epstein looks back on his life and career in two new books.

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A photograph of a man riding a unicycle down the hallway of a home. He is wearing a blue button-down shirt, a dark tie and khakis.

By Dwight Garner

NEVER SAY YOU’VE HAD A LUCKY LIFE: Especially If You’ve Had a Lucky Life , by Joseph Epstein

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTENT: New and Selected Essays , by Joseph Epstein

When Tammy Wynette was asked to write a memoir in her mid-30s, she initially declined, she said in an interview, because “I didn’t think my life was over yet.” The publisher responded: Has it occurred to you that in 15 years no one might care? She wrote the book. “Stand by Your Man: An Autobiography” (1979) was a hit.

The essayist and editor Joseph Epstein — whose memoir “Never Say You’ve Had a Lucky Life,” is out now, alongside a greatest-hits collection titled “Familiarity Breeds Content” — has probably never heard Wynette sing except by accident. (In a 1993 essay, he wrote that he wished he didn’t know who Willie Nelson was, because it was a sign of a compromised intellect.) But his memoir illustrates another reason not to wait too long to commit your life to print.

There is no indication that Epstein, who is in his late 80s, has lost a step. His prose is as genial and bland, if comparison to his earlier work is any indication, as it ever was. But there’s a softness to his memories of people, perhaps because it was all so long ago. This is the sort of memoir that insists someone was funny, or erudite, or charismatic, while rarely providing the crucial details.

Epstein aw-shucks his way into “Never Say You’ve Had a Lucky Life” — pretending to be self-effacing while not being so in the least is one of his salient qualities as a writer — by warning readers, “I may not have had a sufficiently interesting life to merit an autobiography.” This is because he “did little, saw nothing notably historic, and endured not much out of the ordinary of anguish or trouble or exaltation.” Quickly, however, he concludes that his life is indeed worth relating, in part because “over the years I have acquired the literary skill to recount that life well.”

Here he is wrong in both directions. His story is interesting enough to warrant this memoir. His personal life has taken complicated turns. And as the longtime editor of the quarterly magazine The American Scholar, and a notably literate conservative culture warrior, he’s been in the thick of things.

He does lack the skill to tell his own story, though, if by “skill” we mean not well-scrubbed Strunk and White sentences but close and penetrating observation. Epstein favors tasseled loafers and bow ties, and most of his sentences read as if they were written by a sentient tasseled loafer and edited by a sentient bow tie.

He grew up in Chicago, where his father manufactured costume jewelry. The young Epstein was popular and, in high school, lettered in tennis. His title refers to being lucky, and a big part of that luck, in his estimation, was to grow up back when kids could be kids, before “the therapeutic culture” took over.

This complaint sets the tone of the book. His own story is set next to a rolling series of cultural grievances. He’s against casual dress, the prohibition of the word “Negro,” grade inflation, the Beat Generation, most of what occurred during the 1960s, standards slipping everywhere, de-Westernizing college curriculums, D.E.I. programs, you name it. His politics aren’t the problem. We can argue about those. American culture needs more well-read conservatives. The problem is that in his search for teachable moments, his memoir acquires the cardboard tone of a middling opinion column.

His youth was not all tennis lessons and root beer floats. He and his friends regularly visited brothels because, he writes, sex was not as easy to come by in the 1950s. He was kicked out of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for his role in the selling of a stolen accounting exam to other students.

He was lucky to find a place at the University of Chicago, a place of high seriousness. The school changed him. He began to reassess his values. He began to read writers like Irving Howe, Sidney Hook, Midge Decter and Norman Podhoretz, and felt his politics pull to the right.

After college, he was drafted into the Army and ended up in Little Rock, Ark., where he met his first wife. At the time, she was a waitress at a bar and restaurant called the Gar Hole. Here Epstein’s memoir briefly threatens to acquire genuine weight.

She had lost custody of her two sons after a divorce. Together they got them back, and she and Epstein had two sons of their own. After their divorce, Epstein took all four of the boys. This is grist for an entire memoir, but Epstein passes over it quickly. One never gets much of a sense of what his boys were like, or what it was like to raise them. He later tells us that he has all but lost touch with his stepsons and has not seen them for decades.

He worked for the magazine The New Leader and the Encyclopaedia Britannica before becoming the editor of The American Scholar in 1975. It was a position he would hold for 22 years. He also taught at Northwestern University for nearly three decades.

At The American Scholar he began to write a long personal essay in each issue, under the pseudonym Aristides. He wrote 92 of these, on topics such as smoking and envy and reading and height. Most ran to 6,500 words, or about 4,000 words longer than they should have been.

Many magazine editors like to write every so often, to keep a hand in. But there is something unseemly about an editor chewing up acres of space in his own publication on a regular basis. Editorially, it’s a droit du seigneur imposition.

A selection of these essays, as well as some new ones, can now be found in “Familiarity Breeds Content.” In his introduction to this book, Christopher Buckley overpraises Epstein, leaving the reader no choice but to start mentally pushing back.

Buckley calls Epstein “the most entertaining living essayist in the English language.” (Not while Michael Kinsley, Lorrie Moore, Calvin Trillin, Sloane Crosley and Geoff Dyer, among many others, walk the earth.) He repurposes Martin Amis’s comment about Saul Bellow: “One doesn’t read Saul Bellow. One can only reread him.” To this he adds, “Ditto Epstein.” (Epstein is no Saul Bellow.) Buckley says, “Joe Epstein is incapable of writing a boring sentence.”

Well. How about this one, from an essay about cats?

A cat, I realize, cannot be everyone’s cup of fur.

Or this one, from an essay about sports and other obsessions:

I have been told there are people who wig out on pasta.

Or this one, about … guess:

When I was a boy, it occurs to me now, I always had one or another kind of hat.

Juggling today appears to be undergoing a small renaissance.

If one is looking to save on fuel bills, politics is likely to heat up a room quicker than just about anything else.

In tennis I was most notable for flipping and catching my racket in various snappy routines.

The essays are, by and large, as tweedy and self-satisfied as these lines make them sound. There are no wild hairs in them, no sudden deepenings of tone. Nothing is at stake. We are stranded with him on the putt-putt course.

Epstein fills his essays with quotation after quotation, as ballast. I am a fan of well-deployed, free-range quotations. So many of Epstein’s are musty and reek of Bartlett’s. They are from figures like Lord Chesterfield and Lady Mary Montagu and Sir Herbert Grierson and Tocqueville and Walpole and Carlyle. You can feel the moths escaping from the display case in real time.

To be fair, I circled a few sentences in “Familiarity Breeds Content” happily. I’m with him on his distrust of “fun couples.” He writes, “A cowboy without a hat is suitable only for bartending.” I liked his observation, which he borrowed from someone else, that a career has five stages:

(1) Who is Joseph Epstein? (2) Get me Joseph Epstein. (3) We need someone like Joseph Epstein. (4) What we need is a young Joseph Epstein. (5) Who is Joseph Epstein?

It’s no fun to trip up a writer on what might have been a late-career victory lap. Epstein doesn’t need me to like his work. He’s published more than 30 books, and you can’t do that unless you’ve made a lot of readers happy.

NEVER SAY YOU’VE HAD A LUCKY LIFE : Especially If You’ve Had a Lucky Life | By Joseph Epstein | Free Press | 287 pp. | $29.99

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTENT : New and Selected Essays | By Joseph Epstein | Simon & Schuster | 441 pp. | Paperback, $20.99

Dwight Garner has been a book critic for The Times since 2008, and before that was an editor at the Book Review for a decade. More about Dwight Garner

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It’s never too late – or too early – to…

Breaking News

Estes park power & communications is working on numerous outages related to the winter storm., headline news, subscriber only, it’s never too late – or too early – to park like a local.

“Park Like A Local” is a program focused on solutions to increase access to the public library during the busy summer season of paid parking and downtown traffic. (Estes Valley Library/Courtesy Photo)

Park Like A Local was a success in its inaugural year: nearly 600 patrons signed up, just by making a quick and easy trip to the library. Now, a year later, Park Like A Local is still in place, and as we approach the start of the paid parking season on Friday, May 24, local access to downtown is again becoming top-of-mind.

Here’s the great news: If you registered for your Local Permit via the Library, and if your vehicle and plate information haven’t changed, you’re automatically renewed for two free hours of parking each day this summer. No need to take any action – we’ve got you covered!

If your car or license plate did change over the past year, just stop by the Library and we can easily update your records.

What about if you meant to sign up but haven’t gotten around to it yet? No problem. You’re eligible to enroll at any time if you’re a resident of the Park R3 School District boundaries. All we need is your license plate and the plate’s issuing state. We’ll send that info to the Town of Estes Park and the Car Park, the Town’s parking vendor. Within 72 hours your car will be included in the Local Permit system. You don’t have to wait for a physical permit, either; the Town uses license plate readers as they patrol the lots.

Not yet a Library patron? That’s an easy fix. You can register for a Local Permit with us when signing up for a card. Just remember that you must reside in the Estes Park School District boundaries to qualify for a resident card and Local Permit.

Many thanks to our partners at the Town of Estes Park and the Car Park for this great cross-agency collaboration. We look forward to another successful summer of Park Like A Local! Visit estesvalleylibrary.org/PLAL to learn more.

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Director Dawn Porter Says She’s a ‘Bit Perplexed’ Why Her Luther Vandross Documentary Hasn’t Sold

By Addie Morfoot

Addie Morfoot

Contributor

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In 2011, Dawn Porter arrived at Hot Docs Pitch Forum in the hopes of securing funding for her first documentary feature, “Gideon’s Army.” Thirteen years later, Porter is back in Toronto with her 10th feature doc “Luther: Never Too Much,” which opened the 31st edition of Hot Docs.

The 101-minute film about the life and career of the late R&B singer Luther Vandross made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and has since become an audience favorite on the festival circuit. In addition to serving as Hot Docs’ opening night film, the movie will also launch the Hot Doc’s Pop/ Life sidebar of films about music and musicians.

Popular on Variety

The doc, which marks the first-ever estate sanctioned feature-length nonfiction film about the R&B legend, was financed by Sony Music Entertainment, the company that owns Vandross’ music. Jamie Foxx and Colin Firth both served as executive producers.

Below, Variety speaks with Porter ahead of the April 25 Hot Docs premiere of “Luther: Never Too Much.”

During his career, Vandross received eight Grammy Awards — four of which were in 2004, including best R&B album and the coveted song of the year award — along with 33 nominations. He died almost 20 years ago. Why did it take so long to make the first authorized documentary about his life?

Sony Music Entertainment, which owns Vandross’ music, financed the project. Did they take convincing?

Sony was on board right away. The company is obviously a big fan of his, and they knew how much material they had, which was tremendous for us. They had all of his music, which they have the rights to, so we were able to let those songs play out in the film. We didn’t have to use just 10 seconds of a song because we were trying to save budget money. I had never done a music doc before or this type of biographical treatment. So, it was a lot of fun to discover him through his music.

Were you a big Vandross fan before making the film, or did you discover him while working on this project?

Many of my formative years were accompanied by Luther’s music, so it was very important for me to make this film and do Luther right by it. But as much as I’ve always loved his music and personality, I learned so much more about his story through the making of this film. Discovering insights into stories you think you know is one of my favorite parts about documentary filmmaking.

In addition to his music, the docu explores Vandross’ issues around weight, which was a very sensitive topic for him. Why do you think his weight was such a big deal to the press?

Luther’s weight was a topic of conversation incessantly in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I could have done a 20-minute sequence of talk-show people asking him about his weight. It was constant. He didn’t get to talk about the music first. He had to talk about where his weight was. He was on Oprah 14 times. That was a time when she too was very publicly going through her ups and downs with weight, so that’s something that they shared. I think they both related to the fact that they weren’t just struggling with weight, they were struggling with weight in public. And in general with weight gain and not being able to lose it, there is a lot of shame around it. This feeling of, “Why can’t I master this?” It’s a conversation we are having today. Two weeks ago, Oprah says she uses weight loss drugs and it prompts an ABC news special.

The media was also fixated on Vandross’ sexuality. You interviewed various people who were close to Vandross including Valerie Simpson, bass player Marcus Miller and songwriting collaborator Richard Marx, who basically say it was none of anyone’s business who he liked or loved. Was his sexuality a hard topic to cover, since Vandross didn’t want anyone to speculate about whether he was homosexual or not?

Another touchy subject that the film tackles is a fatal car accident that Vandross was responsible for. Why did you want to include that in the film?

The car crash was something I had never heard about, so that was news to me. I really wanted to make the point that he had some really terrible things happen in his life and I think it was an important subject to raise.

Sony funded this film, but you decided to make it without a distributor attached. As mentioned, music docs are all the rage right now. Why not find a distributor before taking the doc to Sundance?

The thought was celebrities, great music, make a good movie and try to sell it out of a festival. It seemed like a good idea.

I have been to several film festivals where the film has screened including Sundance, Full Frame and Sarasota, and audiences love it. The music and the celebrity factor make it a very commercial film. Why do you think the film has yet to find a distributor?

It’s been very surprising to me. I’m sure that it is going to find the right home and we are in some advanced conversations, but yeah, I’m a bit perplexed why the film hasn’t sold yet.

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It Is Never Too Late To Give Up Our Prejudices Essay Example
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Free Essay: It's Never Too Late
It's Never Too Late. I've always been the student who made decent grades and yet never participated in any extracurricular activities. I danced for a couple of years when I was younger, but as I grew older, I became shy. When I got to high school, I became distracted and my grades starting declining.
"It is Never Too Late" Essay
Melissa Shafer Professor Ashbourne College writing 22 October 2020 It is Never Too Late Lisa Nichols' "3 Sentences That Will Change Your Life" text is a motivational speech to encourage others to keep fighting. She argues that everyone has a chance to press reset and start their life again.
It's Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been
22. "A woman's choice generally means taking the only man she can get." —Middlemarch. 23. "It is never too late to be what you might have been.". 24. "I'm not denyin' the women are foolish; God Almighty made 'em to match the men.". Statement 21 was correct though truncated. Statement 22 was slightly inaccurate; the novel ...
Lesson of the Day: Inspiration From The Times's 'It's Never Too Late
It's Never Too Late to Climb That Mountain. Dierdre Wolownick, whose son, Alex Honnold, is one of the world's top rock climbers, ascended Yosemite's El Capitan to celebrate her 70th birthday ...
Why It's Never Too Late to Change Your Life and Live Differently
Final Thoughts. Remember that it's never too late to change your life, and factors such as age, time, or even experience shouldn't hinder your yearning to pursue your dreams, projects, and live differently. As our life continues forward, always remember that you are in constant motion and also in constant control.
Essay on Better Late Than Never
It tells us that it's never too late to do the right thing. 250 Words Essay on Better Late Than Never Introduction. ... 500 Words Essay on Better Late Than Never Introduction. The phrase "Better Late Than Never" is a well-known English saying that has been used for many years. It suggests that it's always good to do something, even if ...
'It's never too late'
This proverb, "it's never too late", means that 'it does not matter how late it is, a person should always take the opportunity to pursue their goals'. It means that: there is always time to pick up again something that we had stopped doing. the present moment is always a great time to follow our dreams. This proverb encourages us to ...
It's Never Too Late Free Essay Example
It's Never Too Late. Categories: College Education High school Higher Education School Volleyball. Download. Essay, Pages 2 (389 words) Views. 25223. I've always been the student who made decent grades and yet never participated in any extracurricular activities. I danced for a couple of years when I was younger, but as I grew older, I became ...
Never To Late Essay
Never To Late Essay. Good Essays. 1639 Words. 7 Pages. Open Document. Many older students are making their way back to school. The number of older, more "nontraditional" college students are growing. These students say that maturity and life experience give them a clear advantage in the college classroom, and many advisors agree.
It's never too late.
It's never too late. The scene is familiar. You wake up one morning and the page of the calendar turns. Yet again. Imperceptibly, you've crept one day closer towards that test, that exam. Maybe time passed and you didn't realize it. Maybe it wasn't all that important to you. Maybe the only reason that you realized that time had.
'It's never too late'
Meaning. This proverb, "it's never too late", means that 'it does not matter how late it is, a person should always take the opportunity to pursue their goals'. It means that: there is always time to pick up again something that we had stopped doing. the present moment is always a great time to follow our dreams.
It Was Too Late
Featured Essays Essays on the Radio; Special Features; ... It was too late, though. She was gone before my birthday, and my best friend and I never made it over for a swim. It took me too long to realize that this woman was my mother and that I should love her no matter what. Even with her illnesses, all she wanted was to make me happy and to ...
It is Never Too Late to Begin Once Again
English Essay, Paragraph, Speech on "It is Never Too Late to Begin Once Again" Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes. About. Vision; Website Inauguration Function. ... It is Never Too Late to Begin Once Again. To err is human. We often slip-up and make mistakes. All of us have our moments of weakness.
Expansion of an Idea / Proverb
The proverb "It's never too late to mend" suggests that no matter how difficult or hopeless a situation or relationship may seem, it is always possible to repair or improve it. This phrase implies that it is never too late to make amends, seek forgiveness, or take steps to resolve a conflict. The proverb emphasizes the importance of ...
"It's Never Too Late"
I approached nervously, handed him my book and proceeded to tell him—much too rapidly, trying to fit everything into our brief encounter—how much his work meant to me. I ended, "I've always wanted to be a writer, but it's too late." He paused, looked up, and smiled. "It's never too late," he said. That was all I needed.
It's Never Too Late to Start (or Finally Finish) Your Novel
And, so I kept writing until I found the heart of the story that later would become my first novel, Time Is the Longest Distance. A year into it, I got sick. The kind of sick that alters your day-to-day existence and threatens your life. However, I was one of the lucky ones, (21 years later, here I am), and more than anything, once I got ...
It's Never Too Late, an essay by Dianne Moritz at Spillwords.com
It's Never Too Late. written by: Dianne Moritz ... poetry for both kids and adults, as well as essays and editorials. Hey, google "late bloomers" and you'll find scores of other older writers, and lots of late bloomers in other fields, too. Yes, it's never too late to follow your passion, no matter what it is. Senior citizens run ...
I Was Too Late
Setting: A modern-day suburban neighborhood during the fall season. Main character: Alex, a 35-year-old writer who is prone to procrastination, struggles to balance work, family, and personal life. Conflict: Alex faces the consequences of procrastination and missed opportunities. Dialogue: Use dialogue to show Alex's interactions with family ...
It's Never Too Late
I don't care if you're 21, 65, or 102—it's never too late to start making art. Claude Monet didn't begin painting until mid-life. He painted a little in his 30's but didn't fully discover his inimitable artistic style until his 40's. Most of the paintings you would recognize by Monet were done in his 50's-60s's and he was ...
It's Never Too Late To Start Over
Left. Diagonal. Cut across the grass. Take a back road. It's never too late to spin things around for the better. To leave what's been broken and acknowledge that you can't put it back together exactly how it was. To smile at the things you cannot replace, cannot fix, cannot make perfect. Nothing is perfect.
It's Never Too Late To Study
The biggest misconception about studying - especially if you're an adult with a career - is that there's no time to keep up with studying and fulfil your work tasks. With online learning, you can learn at a pace that is comfortable for you and doesn't disrupt your work. These days, all you need is a stable internet connection and a ...
It's Never Too Late To Go Back To School
The Truth About Adult Learning. There is one simple truth when it comes to education and learning; you are never too old. We learn from the moment we are born until the moment we die. So, if ...
What Elder Christofferson suggests we say instead of 'It's never too
"The scriptures tell us that it could be too late, or it can become too late." He added that the scriptures also tell us not to procrastinate. Then he quoted Doctrine and Covenants 45:2 : "Lest … in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved."
It's Never too Late to Start Over
What kept me going however was the idea that it would never be too late to pursue my goals, to start my life over. I believe I can always wipe the slate clean. My life doesn't have to be in perfect order today, tomorrow, or next month. I can, and will, continue to take new directions. This I believe.
Book Review: Joseph Epstein's New Memoir and Book of Essays
But his memoir illustrates another reason not to wait too long to commit your life to print. There is no indication that Epstein, who is in his late 80s, has lost a step.
It's never too late
Last year, the Estes Valley Library debuted "Park Like A Local": a program focused on solutions to increase access to the public library during the busy summer season of paid parking and ...
IT WAS KAIS BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY but I was too busy to do finish this
38 likes, 1 comments - goomblake on April 30, 2024: "IT WAS KAIS BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY but I was too busy to do finish this yesterday but. Better late than never HEHE 凉 HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAI!!...". IT WAS KAIS BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY but I was too busy to do finish this yesterday but.
Missed your period but not pregnant? 7 possible causes
Weighing too much or too little can impact monthly cycles. A low body weight or an eating disorder can pause ovulation or make periods irregular. If you aren't getting the proper nutrients — or your body can't absorb them — you can't produce hormones to regulate periods. If you lose weight too quickly, menstruation can completely stop.
'Luther' Vandross Doc Director Dawn Porter on Why the Film ...
Luther's weight was a topic of conversation incessantly in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I could have done a 20-minute sequence of talk-show people asking him about his weight. It was constant.
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It’s Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been

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‘It’s never too late’ – Origin, Meaning, Expansion, Importance

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English Essay, Paragraph, Speech on “It is Never Too Late to Begin Once Again” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

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It’s Never Too Late To Start Over

Life is imperfect. It’s beautiful and complicated and burdensome and messy. And you are a part of it, a part that grows and changes and laughs and loves and gets broken and comes back together. But there will never be a time when you can’t just step back and start all over.

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