Actor Jeff Bridges has rung in his 74th birthday despite a tumultuous battle with COVID-19 and cancer in recent years.

He’s a brilliant example of resilience in the face of obstacles.Jeff is known for performing in The Big Lebowski (1998)

and Seabiscuit (2003), but is presently performing in FX’s The Old Man.

jeff bridges

This image is from Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons.

He recently opened up to AARP about his struggles with both cancer and COVID, sharing some powerful insights on perseverance.

“For me, in that hospital bed, the obstacle was death. And that was the way. I kept thinking, Here’s the problem, you know?

Here’s the challenge,” Jeff explained. “I asked myself, ‘How are you going to go about it?’ And I thought, I’m a dancer, man, and I’m a musician. I’m going to jam with this situation, you know?”

He continued by shedding some light on what he stuck to in times of doubt.

“I couldn’t understand how you’d fight it. So I fought by surrendering, which is not the same as giving up,” the actor suggested. “Love was certainly magnified for me during this time. Not only from the people around me but also the love in my own heart for them. So what I did was more like giving in to love, you know?”

What a powerful piece of advice. Happy Birthday, Jeff Bridges! Thanks for your wisdom and your dedication to creating amazing art.