How do we get through this? Zelda* believed in the healing power of laughter. But I’m also sure she would have told us: Look for the good. “It’s always there, honey — something.” She reminded me often and had lots of examples: “When I spoke to my son-in-law after his stroke, and he said, ‘Mom, […]
Make America Capable Again
When my youngest grandson was 3, he moved a chair to the sink, climbed up, and started washing his dish. He did it mindfully, not like some kid splashing for the fun of it. Watching him, I remarked at how “capable” he was. I explained that being capable meant he could handle stuff. Someone […]
Very Little About Aging Is Funny, but Humor Helps
My best old ladies have (or had) a good sense of humor. And no wonder. Laughter is healthy at any age. But when you’re ninety and beyond, being able to “make light” is a survival tactic. Whenever I tell 101-year-old Marge she’s my role model, she laughs. “I don’t have much competition!” My first real […]
The Suprising Secret of Good Geezerhood
This just in…. forget what the AARP and the Harvard Health Newsletter tell you. Forget doing crossword puzzles or learning a foreign language. Instead, keep doing what you’ve always done. I learned this from my neighbor and friend, Marge. She’s 101½ and lives alone. How does she manage? “I keep breathing.” But it’s more than […]
Why Old-Lady “Matchmaking” Doesn’t Work
My “old ladies,” a cadre of role-model older women whose friendships I’ve cultivated for the last 25 years, don’t know each other. Except for 88-year-old Betty and Marge, 101, who both live in my building, the rest either can’t meet or don’t want to. And yet, I keep thinking they might like each other. Twenty-plus […]