Sam Waterston at 82: What I Know Now

And another thing

The thing I worry about most is climate disruption. As a kid, I spent summers by the ocean. It was right after World War II, and there were plenty of fish in the sea — that is no longer true. It’s one of the reasons I became involved in Oceana. I think there’s general clarity about what the problem is and what is causing it. But we’re at a stage where we’re asking, “Please, can’t we just burn a little more? Can’t we just lay waste a little more? And then we can be saved?” No. Now’s the time to get on the bike. Turn down the thermostat. Ask yourself, like they did in World War II, “Is this trip really necessary?” every time you get in the car. Don’t hide under the bed.

Two ways to age

My mother and my father handled getting old in completely different ways. My father gracefully let things go. He just didn’t ski anymore, didn’t play tennis anymore. He didn’t declare he wasn’t going to do any of those things; he just let them go. And my mother never stopped painting as long as she lived. I thought they were both beautiful solutions. I’m trying to do both! 

Law & Order redux

When the possibility to return came up, I thought, Haven’t I done this already? But then I thought about what it would feel like to turn on the TV and see other people doing the show. They’ve organized production so it’s not long, arduous hours like the ones I used to do. So now I’m like a jogger who never gives up jogging; he just doesn’t jog as far.

Faith and meditation

Meditation is one place where I look for solace. I’ve been meditating off and on for a long, long time, but in the last several years, on a very regular basis. It’s a really good thing to do. My faith also brings solace. It would be hard to look life in the face without faith, I think.