Algirdas Kaušpėdas Speaks About Life's Greatest Loss, His Fears for Old Age, and What Remains Untold

Approaching his 73rd birthday, Algirdas Kaušpėdas feels a youthful 45 internally, driven by an unquenched curiosity about the world. "Age is a fact. And a state of being is a choice," he reflects, noting that while his body counts the years, his inner self disregards them. He possesses the energy and desire to create, stating, "I have no less energy and desire to create than in my youth."

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Age is a fact. And a state of being is a choice.

Kaušpėdas admits to a fear of aging, not of dementia, which he has seen affect loved ones, but of losing his positive outlook. "I am most afraid of losing my good mood and becoming a grumbling, dissatisfied old man," he says. He believes that as long as a person can appreciate the world and generate ideas, they remain alive. He likens aging to an "architectural minimalism," where one sheds unnecessary things to create a brighter, more spacious inner world, fostering deeper reflection, faith, and acceptance.

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I am most afraid of losing my good mood and becoming a grumbling, dissatisfied old man.

Challenging the common Lithuanian notion of self-written obsolescence after 60 or 70, Kaušpėdas is actively pursuing new ambitions. He is working on a new novel, a personal challenge to himself. "My wife says: don't write another novel – it won't be as good," he shares. "However, I think one must dare to write a 'not so good' novel simply because it is a challenge not to others, but to oneself." The novel, if completed, will explore a character grappling with the concept of freedom, human sentiments, and intimacy, ultimately leading to an unexpected discovery about himself.

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My wife says: don't write another novel – it won't be as good. However, I think one must dare to write a 'not so good' novel simply because it is a challenge not to others, but to oneself.