Pilar Rotella spent more than 60 years teaching literature. At 93, she's still writing about it, though the subjects have changed: her first great-grandson, her favorite walk, soccer.

Rotella, a member at The Newbury of Brookline on Fisher Hill, participates in the senior living community's Writers' Workshop, where residents write, share, and discuss one another's work. She recently delivered what she called her "swan song," a lecture on Don Quixote for fellow members.

"My husband used to joke that there was another man in my life, and his name was Don Quixote," Rotella said in a profile published Thursday on brookline.com. "It has been a constant companion. Starting from my years as a student to my years as a professor and now here at The Newbury."

Born in Spain, Rotella knew by age 14 she wanted to be a professor. She earned an advanced degree at the University of Barcelona, then came to the United States for what was supposed to be a two-year teaching appointment. She never left. While teaching full-time and raising three children, she earned graduate degrees from the University of Chicago and went on to teach undergraduate and graduate literature courses for six decades. After retiring, she continued teaching through continuing education programs before moving from New York City to The Newbury.

The Writers' Workshop marked a shift. Instead of academic papers, Rotella began writing personal essays on topics she'd never explored in a classroom.

"This workshop gave me the freedom to discover another side of myself," she said.

Caroline Rufo, life enrichment director at The Newbury, said the workshop is one of several literary programs at the 158-residence community on the former Newbury College campus. The Newbury also hosts a book club, discussion groups, and visiting speakers. On Monday, July 27, the community welcomed Brookline poet Jennifer Barber for a poetry discussion exploring connections between the body, memory, and imagination.