Tag: aging gracefully
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The Grief We Grow Old Enough to Understand
I didn’t understand the old woman’s words of wisdom then. They were something it took 50 years to grow into.
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Learner CliftonStrength
The Learner CliftonStrength thrives on growth—but what about unlearning? For those raised on ‘push through the pain,’ our aging bodies are now asking for a new kind of partnership. Here’s how to stop overriding what your body is trying to tell you.
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Still Walking, Thank You Very Much
A red hiking pole from the Camino de Santiago became my mother’s, then mine — and an unexpected conversation with a 90-year-old neighbor about why we refuse the cane.
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The Problem I Didn’t Know Was Mine
A rushed afternoon, a dangerous open water meter, and a small decision that wasn’t really my job. Sometimes the fix you make for someone else quietly circles back — landing exactly where you step at 2 AM in the dark. A reflection on doing the right thing before it becomes someone’s emergency.
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Good and Bad in the World
A walk to the post office, a shattered hubcap, an old man quietly cleaning up after rude boys, and a tip that was worth more than money. The good in the world shows up where you least expect it.
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Who’s Listening at the Airport?
From a facial recognition snafu at TSA to defense contractors talking too freely at the gate — a return trip from Colorado proves that privacy in public is mostly an illusion.
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When Pushing Through Starts Pushing Back
There’s a particular kind of message we’re raised on. It’s not always spoken out loud, but it’s everywhere. Push harder. Sleep less. Keep going. Don’t stop unless something breaks. And even then, maybe try pushing a little more. We learn it young. It’s in gym class and team sports. In those early jobs that praise…
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The Jagged Line of Aging
Health surprises as I get older. As I get older, my daily health keeps surprising me—whether it’s excellent or something less than that. To be honest, I didn’t expect surprises. For two reasons. From the Bookshelf Rite of Reckoning — a Southern witch returns home to secrets that won’t stay buried. Available direct from the…
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The Middle Age, at Last, and How I Knew
When I took a look at Aislinn’s 14th birthday pictures, taken at my mom’s kitchen table, I understood at last that I am now in the Middle Age. It’s not a year or span of years or any way society or a medical record might define it. It’s my own definition. From the Bookshelf Unapologetically…
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No More Premature Aging: Just Add Attitude
Since I’ve been reconnecting with people from my past via social networking–as in, from my childhood, teen, and college years–I’ve been astonished to see what’s become of other people within a year of my age. A few have gone the plastic surgery route–some look good as a result and some look like their faces froze…
