Some old thoughts

They say that you know you are getting old when your friends start passing away. What if your friends are 77 years old? Are you supposed to feel old?

Mosko Alkelay died today.

I got a chance to work with him for several years on stage at Habima - The Israeli National Theater. It was a long time ago, I was much younger, but I knew even than that I am getting a chance to meet, work and learn from the pillars of theater and sociaty. Mosko, Shmulik (Mula) Rodenski (rest in peace), Lia Keining have taken me under their wing at a time where acting was not about making money and being famous for the sake of being famous, but when theater was just art, for them it was a calling. "Be careful not to get this bug" told me Mula one day as we were chatting, "once you do, you will never get rid of it, and there is no money in it" he said and laughed in a hearty rolling laugh that was only his.
Years go by, but certain sayings, insights, memories always stick with you, making you who you are, allowing you to remember those important people in your life.

Mosko Alkelay died today. He was a friend, a mentor, a fellow actor... and 77 years old. Funny... the fact he was decades older than me never seemed to matter when we talked, when he gave advice, or a different insight into the sub-text.

So no, I don't feel old, I feel fortunate to have known such great people and to have been treated by them as an equal. I just hope I was smart enough to listen, in my young years, and to have kept some of their knowledge and wisdom with me, so that at some point, in some situation I will find myself repeating words, sentences, quotes I know aren't my own, only to remember how fortunate I was to learn them from such great people.