A reader remarks upon Matt’s youthful vitality and contrasts it with the decrepitude that afflicts some people in later years. At what point, the reader asks, does the law of diminishing returns set in, and the half-full glass turn half-empty?
Matt responds:
I’m now living in my 77th year, and what I keep telling myself is that I came into this world crying, with somebody pounding on my ass, and I hope to go out laughing, with somebody standing at my side, singing great hymns or songs. There was a movie made about the life of Toulouse-Lautrec. As he lay dying, he saw all the characters of his paintings dancing around him; it was like the tornado of love and warmth and gaiety. That kind of death—and that kind of life—is either going to be a gift of the gods, or it’s going to be a gift of yourself.
I happen to believe there’s a whole world that exists between our two ears. We can live a life of fun or a life of “Woe is me.” The world keeps trying to pull us over to the “Woe is me” side. Could I personally be happy sitting in some home that old people are taken to be put in storage? The last time I was in Germany, I painted umbrellas with some wonderful, vibrant, effervescent, full-of-life kids. The same institution had a hospice across the way, and as part of my program I was escorted over to the hospice: to the complete other side of life from childhood, which is death. And in the hospice they had a cocktail bar and a nice lounge with a TV, and paintings all around. I gave them some of my paintings to add to their display. The people who were running this hospice were as joyful as the people running the school.
I suppose it’s our attitude that really drives us, whatever age we’re at. I know people who have everything they could possibly have, and they’re not happy. I’ve also been in situations where people don’t have enough food, and the housing is meager, the clothing is theadbare, but the people have big smiles on their faces. When I speak to young people, one of my messages to them is: You are going to live in the world that you create. And for me, I believe I’m going to die in the world that I create. Am I sure I’m going on to a much better place? I’m not sure about anything. But wherever I’m going, I’m really going to have fun. I just hope that whoever’s there, they say, “Oh great—look who just showed up!” rather than “Oh shit, here comes Lamb!”
Matt