海角大神

First of all, let鈥檚 do the math. 聽Anyone old enough to remember the聽Rolling聽Stones聽first performance 50 years ago is probably a grandparent. Or a very, very, very old parent. 聽

This fact may make some people shudder and groan, not because being a grandparent is such a bad thing, but because baby boomers (and you know who you are), don鈥檛 want to admit to being any older than 29. But we are. A lot older than 29, and so are the聽Rolling聽Stones. But never mind that.

The聽Rolling聽Stones聽are on tour again and probably always will be. (This one is called 鈥淭he Stones 鈥� 50 and Counting," and tonight HBO premieres the documentary "Crossfire Hurricane," which chronicles the band's start 50 years ago.) The Stones aren鈥檛 the ones who sang 鈥渉ope I die before I get old.鈥� That was The Who (no Abbott and Costello jokes please). 聽

And the聽Rolling聽Stones聽didn鈥檛 say "never trust anyone over 30." That was said by a member of the free speech movement in 1964, and then co-opted by everyone including Bob Dylan and Madison Avenue.

So what did the聽Rolling聽Stones聽say? They asked the rhetorical question, what can a poor boy do, 'cept to sing for a rock 'n' roll band? And for 50 years and counting, that鈥檚 what they been doing. They haven鈥檛 been poor for at least the last 48 years, but that鈥檚 only because they鈥檝e never stopped working. 聽And that鈥檚 what makes them so remarkable to me. Not their fountain of youth like antics, but their work ethic. They have never missed a performance. Not once.

That鈥檚 impressive. They have never broken up. That鈥檚 amazing.

Sure Bill Wyman quietly left the band in 1993, but that was after playing bass with them for over 20 years. That鈥檚 more like taking early retirement than quitting. Mr. Wyman re-entered the work force four years later with his own more modest though eponymous band. Last month [October] after a 20 year hiatus, he performed again with the聽Rolling聽Stones.The band was all smiles and hugs, and not just for the cameras. Mr. Jagger, Mr. Richards, Mr. Watts and Mr. Wood seemed genuinely delighted to be playing with their mate again.

And so what if Wyman鈥檚 cohorts continue to rock on? So does Warren Buffett after all. I wonder if Buffett plays bass? 聽

When I was a kid, the聽Rolling聽Stones聽were the bad boys of rock and roll.The Beatles were the good guys. But it turns out that was only show biz, not reality. The Beatles did some pretty bad things, and yes so did the聽Rolling Stones. But on balance the聽Rolling聽Stones聽have turned out to be more than just survivors.

It should be said that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are also much more than just survivors. They have continued to contribute to the musical scene. But they aren鈥檛 the Beatles anymore. The聽Rolling聽Stones, love them or not, are still The聽Rolling聽Stones. They are the good guys at least from my way of looking at it.

They continue to work and play, at the same time. They act like they are having fun, even if they aren鈥檛, at least all the time. They do what professionals are supposed to do. They work hard, they show up, they honor their commitments, to their fans anyway, and to themselves. And they aim for and achieve excellence. Most days. 聽

That鈥檚 saying a lot.

Forget if you can about their personal failings and foibles. Just look at the work. Or better still, listen to their music. Past, present, and future. It鈥檚 good, it鈥檚 consistent, and it鈥檚 never been more 鈥� or less 鈥� than what they said it was. It鈥檚 only rock鈥檔鈥檙oll. But I like it.

海角大神 has assembled a diverse group of the best family and parenting bloggers out there. Our contributing and guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor, and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. Madora Kibbe聽writes a blog for Psychology Today聽called "."聽She has also written聽聽about the so-called Empty Nest Syndrome.