LIVE YOUR LIFE LIKE CHARLES AZNAVOUR

I cannot express my feelings since I learned we lost him. I remember when I moved to France in 2007, the first thing I saw in the airport was his concert announcement on a big poster. I really felt I am in France at that very moment. But I had no chance to see him on the stage for a very very long time. I missed many concert opportunities while I was so busy with my life, until last January 20, 2018. As a former publication director of a music magazine and a music critic I followed many concerts, but I never saw any concert like his, because his audience also merged with his perfect performance. He was a 94 years old musician. He stayed on the stage for over an hour without sitting, sang all his unforgettable songs. While I was watching his famous theatrical performance “La Bohème” I was thanking the universe for giving me this beautiful life to see him on the stage. It was like a dream.

In this concert he shared his biggest wish with his beautiful audience, he said “I don't wanna stop singing, I wanna sing until I die” and his wish came true. He died right after his concert tour in Japan. It was his wish, he sang until he died. I was thinking about him, this magnificent musician since I heard his sad news that shook me so deeply.

My headline is “Live your life like Charles Aznavour” because he lived his life so beautifully. We have to learn many things from his life, I humbly write all my thoughts about his life and share them with you.

HE AGED BUT NEVER GOT ELDERLY

He was 94 years old, but in his audience's eyes he never got old or elderly. He kept being charismatic and handsome. You don't have to get old, never get elderly, you don't have to say “that's all from me!” Because as long as you are alive, regardless of your age, you can still create a wonderful life. You are the same person whenever you were a baby, a child, a teenager, a youngster or middle age. Nothing changed, you should still discover your mission in this world. Be ageless, don't think how tired you are, how sick you are, how lonely you are. Live your life, this is the most beautiful gift the universe gave you. Cheer your life, enjoy it without thinking about the passing years.

?FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR JOB

If you love your job, you will never see it as a burden. Finding the correct job is finding yourself. Charles Aznavour never gave up singing, because while he was singing, he never felt he was working. He sang for pleasure, he loved singing, that's why at 94 years old he was still able to give concerts.

DON'T GIVE UP FROM ROMANCE

Don't stop loving, your age shouldn't be an obstacle for your feelings. Love is like breathing, it can be given and received in many forms. Don't scare from love because of your age. If Aznavour didn't feel loving feelings, he wouldn't sing his beautiful romantic songs, he could never make us feel love while listening to his romantic lyrics. When I was watching his performance of “La Bohème”, I was seeing a man who was sharing his heartache with us. And loving and having pangs of love was quite suiting him regardless of his age.

CREATE A QUALITY AUDIENCE

You should have good people around you. I understood this while I was watching Aznavour. In his career he created a very quality audience. He was one of the most respectful musician in France. People loved him so much. Years later, when he started singing his songs a little bit off notes because of his age, all his audience loved that, nobody thought he should stop singing. In years, he created this beautiful audience. You create your surroundings from beautiful people who can accept all your versions with little off notes from time to time.

DON'T DEMORALIZE YOURSELF

Our thoughts about ourselves are the ones destroying our lives most. Sometimes while people are even telling us beautiful compliments, we smile and tell ourselves “s/he speaks so nicely about me because s/he loves me”. Some years later in life, receiving compliments is even becoming the most difficult thing to accept openly. Even these beautiful words lose their meanings the moment we start doubting about our qualities. What if we stay strong as Aznavour stayed on the stage without doubting himself at age 94? He trusted himself and his audience. What if we love ourselves until our last breath? Imagine how strong we could be. If Aznavour ever lost his confidence on the stage, his audience could see it. He couldn't go to high pitches while he was singing after a certain age, but how he was staying in front of us, he was growing prodigiously in our eyes with his posture, attitude and personality. You don't have to think you are not enough, just think you are more than enough and don't doubt about your worth! Be like Charles Aznavour, this is your stage, your show, your performance!

DON'T SCARE TO LEAVE YOUR NEST

We all love our homes, but there are still many things out there to visit. Even I don't wanna set my happiness on a bucket list. But still I wanna be like Aznavour, he died after his Japan tour, but I have never been in Japan, even though I adore this country. I still have a bucket list and this beautiful country will always be in it. Age is not an excuse not to go somewhere. Leave your nest time to time. Make some concert tours like him. You will feel more alive after all. Don't wait to die in your nest, come out and show yourself how great you are.

DON'T SCARE LOSING YOUR MONEY

Once Charles Aznavour lost all his finances. It was a big scandal in France. I think he was in his 80's, one of his ex-girlfriends stole all his savings. It was a big scandal, but he said “I can deal with this.” And he did. He started giving more concerts, he never went in the dark and cried, waited to die or fought in court forever. He stood up and did his best, he acted like “I did this before, I can do it again”. You see, he never checked how old he was actually! I mentioned his age, but he never cared that number!

YOUR LIFE, YOUR ART

Love your life, create a life like a beautiful art. Your life is your art, just don't scare to live it. He took the microphone in his hands 85 years ago! He never left it as he promised himself until he died. Don't stop performing your art. Your life is your art. Make it beautiful, be a good example for the future generations. Do something, live your life like Charles Aznavour!

Victoria Toumit