Bob Dylan shares pros and cons of turning 80 in rare op-ed

Bob Dylan has shared his thoughts on turning 80 in a rare op-ed in the New York Times.

As Donald Trump turned 80 on Sunday, The New York Times asked notable Americans - like Robert De Niro, Art Garfunkel and Dionne Warwick - to share the best and worst things about the milestone birthday.

"The best thing about being 80 is that you outlive the clocks that have been chasing you," Dylan wrote. "It’s freedom from that lie that anything was ever under control. You don’t chase the parade anymore.

"You’re not rushing to become anything, and you’re not haunted by things that you did. You’re haunted by how little of it really mattered in the way you thought it would."

On the downside, Bob Dylan said, "that you still want to say yes to everything, but the world moves without asking. The old fire in your heart still tells you to do this and that, but your body says we already did it.

"People treat you like either you’ve solved something, or you’ve lost something, and you haven’t. You see life repeating itself everywhere.

"When you’re young you think that time moves forward. At 80 you know that it doesn’t; it stands still. We’re the ones that move."

Unlike all the other op-eds, Dylan notably didn’t give any advice to the US President. De Niro, however, had some words for Trump.

"The president doesn’t listen to advice," he wrote. "He surrounds himself with feckless clowns who keep their positions by supporting his every whim.

"If I were able to pierce the shell of cruelty, greed, corruption and stupidity for one piece of advice … I would advise him to get some good advice from good people, and follow it."

Gloria Steinem, an activist and co-founder of Ms. magazine, simply implored him to "resign."

Art Garfunkle, best known for his partnership with Paul Simon in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkle, also had some words for the US President.

"The impulse to move quickly is strong, but depth requires stillness," he said. "Seek out voices that challenge your thinking. Read widely. Listen carefully. A nation responds not only to decisions, but to tone. Choose words with care. Let them carry clarity, restraint and a sense of shared humanity.

Grammy Award-winning singer Dionne Warwick asked him to "start acting like he is 80"