I’m whisked into a celestial landscape where the light is so dazzling I wish I had sunglasses. While I’m struggling to adjust...
Women 60+
The Life Changing Power of Female Friendships
Science is beginning to recognize what most older women inherently know: there is a strong correlation between longevity and close friendships. In other words, loneliness can hasten the grim reaper’s arrival. Maybe this is why so many widowed men turn into cranky old fogies unless they remarry quickly. As a young girl I observed my mother’s [...]
Pat Taub
My Picks of Videos Featuring Strong Older Women
It’s a rainy night or one where you just want to stay in and kick back with a good video, but finding one you like can be a little daunting given the wide array of choices. To help you along, I’ve compiled a list of my favorites with older female protagonists. Most of them are BBC series. I find the British portrayals of older women more [...]
Pat Taub
Aging May be a Laughing Matter After All. . .
As Bette Davis reminds us, “Aging isn’t for sissies.” To embrace aging fearlessly is indeed a bold act. We all know the importance of diet and exercise, having a sense of purpose and building close, nurturing relationships, but sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to developing a sense of humor around the demands of aging. I‘m [...]
Pat Taub
Finding Your Retirement Compass
By Luisa Deprez, Guest Blogger How do you do something you have never done before? How do you realign your life – completely – after moving out of well-established routines of over 40 years? How do you grasp the idea that you are no longer on another’s time clock? That the one you now have is completely yours, to do with [...]
Pat Taub
GUEST POST: Cropped at Sixty
“How long ago did you stop coloring your hair?” I brought up this question to my CODEPINK buddy Jackie Barshak as I drove her and a couple of 20-something activists up Highway 95 from Las Vegas to Camp Justice, across the road from Creech Air Force Base. We were in Nevada to take part in Shut Down Creech, a major mobilization in [...]
Janet Weil
Women Making a Difference: Kathy Kelly
It doesn’t happen every day, but when it does you are visibly moved. You’re in the presence of an individual whose commitment, passion and tireless work for humanitarian causes stops you in your tracks. Kathy Kelly is one of those women who stops you in your tracks. Her record as a peace activist stretches back to 1978. Kathy’s petite [...]
Pat Taub
WOW: A Blog for Older Women, 60+
Creating a Conversation: Welcome to my new blog, “Women’s Older Wisdom,” or WOW. I want to fill a gap in the blogosphere for blogs addressed to women past 60, bucking the current trend where blogs for older women consist largely of fashion and beauty tips, as if successful aging depended on looking young! I refuse to buy into our [...]
Pat Taub
Does Dining Alone Intimidate You?
When I tell other women my age that I frequently eat out alone, they tend to look at me like I have two heads. When they catch their breath, they say something like, “Aren’t you embarrassed?” Or, “How did you work up the nerve?” I understand their reactions. It’s not always easy for me to walk into a restaurant alone. More often [...]
Pat Taub
Life After Retirement . . . Doesn’t Have
to be a Black Hole
Many older women find themselves feeling empty when they retire. At work they were valued for their contributions and intellect, while enjoying the camaraderie of workplace associates. Once they retire they often face a big void. Some try to fill it with hobbies, travel, extended lunches with close friends, or taking courses at the local senior [...]
Pat Taub
Are You Guilty of Romancing the Past?
My elegant 82 year old widowed neighbor speaks longingly of the years she lived in Italy during the time her husband was a Renaissance Arts scholar. Her three children learned to speak Italian and developed a passion for foreign travel. Another friend, who recently turned 80, frequently reminisces about her younger head-turning beautiful self—she’s [...]
Pat Taub