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“When I look back on my life,” wrote actor and comedian Martin Short in his 2014 memoir I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend, “I see moments where it might have been understandable had I turned to drugs or ice cream.”

We can’t all be Martin Short, but we can reflect on our lives and commemorate our strength over the years.

Writing is a way to preserve our life experiences, which is why the Baltimore County Department of Aging is encouraging this kind of introspection through the Silver Pen Writing Contest.

In 2015, the department wanted to do something special to celebrate its anniversary and created the competition. That first Silver Pen Writing Contest was so successful that the Department of Aging made it an annual event. More than 200 people submitted entries last year.

“It was exciting to see how many people wanted to express themselves in this way,” said Peggy Dryden, the public information specialist at the Baltimore County Department of Aging.

Each year, individuals age 60 and up can submit an essay or a poem that is original, unpublished and written that year. This year’s theme is “Living connected.”

Residents within the county, including English teachers, past winners and publishers, judge the artistic creations and pick three winners for each category, which are then published in Time of Your Life Digest.

Workshops can help

The Department of Aging even helps older adults start the process of writing through a series of workshops. This year, it offered eight workshops from May to July in senior centers across the county. The classes were led by local writers, including a former editor of the Baltimore Sun.

As with most workshops, writers share their work with fellow participants, who give feedback and constructive criticism.

For all levels of experience, writing is beneficial. Older adults can spark long-forgotten memories, heal from painful experiences, or find a sense of self-worth just by scribbling their story onto paper.

“Because they have even more life experience,” Dryden said, “there are more stories there.”

Sharing these tales can strengthen relationships with others. Too often there is a gap between generations. Writing, however, can bring memories of the past into the present in a way that grandchildren can relate to.

Good for body and soul

The benefits of writing, however, are not just emotional. Writing also helps keep the mind active.

It brings old connections between neurons back to life and even creates new ones, according to a 2013 study published in the journal Neurology. Writing improves brainpower, making word puzzles and remembering the location of your keys easier.

If writing is good for the body and the soul, why don’t more older adults do it?

“A lot of people say, ‘There’s nothing exciting that has happened to me; there’s nothing I could write about,’” Dryden said.

The submissions to the Silver Pen Writing Contest each year prove that isn’t true. These participants show that you don’t even need a writing background to win.

Hal Dorin, the essay winner for 2018, was an engineer. After he retired, however, he shifted from writing reports to fiction. He joined a writers’ group in his community and even published a novel.

Even though English was never his favorite subject, at 89, Dorin loves to fictitiously expand on real events in his life. His winning essay “Remembrance” revisits a real occurrence, a musical performance he attended by himself, but adds a woman who sits next to him and holds his hand throughout the program.

“It made me feel good,” Dorin said about writing the story.

Writing also allows Dorin to express himself in a way that his great-great grandchildren will be able to understand. “I enjoy giving my view on things,” he said. “At my age, I’ve got a lot of opinions.”

Pursue an earlier passion

For other people, retirement is the time for them to finally pursue writing. Carolyn Ancuta from the Essex Senior Center always loved poetry, and English was one of her favorite subjects in school.

“I enjoy putting my feelings into words,” Ancuta said. She frequently sends and reads poems to friends and family, who encourage her to keep writing. She never got the chance, however, to write professionally.

Last year, she decided to enter the Silver Pen contest. Ancuta entered the Silver Pen Writing Contest, submitting three poems.

“I just wanted to see how far I could go with it,” Ancuta said.  One of her poems was in the top 12, and she hopes to become a finalist once again this year.

Submissions of essays and poems this year are due Sept. 6 before midnight. They will then be on display at The Power of Age Expo at Timonium Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Lutherville-Timonium, Md., on Oct. 30. All participants are invited to celebrate their accomplishments at a ceremony after the winners are chosen.

To submit a piece, email the essay or poem to digest@baltimorecountymd.gov with “Silver Pen Writing Contest” in the subject line. If you need help submitting it electronically, call (410) 887-3517.