I propose that we enlarge Mother’s Day to honor not just our biological mothers but our spiritual mothers as well. They are the...
Milestone Birthdays – the Gift that Keeps on Giving
by Shelly Schlueter, Guest Blogger Professional boxers like to say that everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth. Milestone birthdays can be that punch. On the other hand, there is also a Zen saying, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” At 50, the waters of life can get downright roiling. So, how was [...]
Pat Taub
Parenting Adult Children
by Lisa Savage, Guest Blogger One of the rites of passage for an elder mom is when her children become full-fledged adults. Do they still need our nurturing? What’s the best way for a mom of adults to transition to offering support that both meets her need to nurture and her grown child’s need to be acknowledged as capable? Things have [...]
Pat Taub
Sisters-in-Law, Hats, A New Park & Iceland Bound
Thinking of My Sister-in-Law I have great respect for Phyllis, my sister-in-law, who has been a lifelong activist for peace and justice. In the past three years she has suffered three hard deaths: her husband, her beloved brother, and her ex-husband, the father of her two children. I will hold Phyllis in the light this weekend as she marks [...]
Pat Taub
My Time is Running Out!
As I move through my 70’s I’m forced to face the fact that I’m running out of time. It feels scary. I’m healthy and financially secure, but no one lives forever. How much time do I have left: 15 years, 20 years? The last 15 years raced by. If the next 15 years are going to be equally accelerated, how can I make the most of them? How [...]
Pat Taub
Bastille Day, Cool Older Maine Women & Practicing Gratitude
Happy Bastille Day to All You Francophiles! I’ve had the good fortune to celebrate Bastille Day in France. I was just 19 and spending the summer in the small French town of Chambon-sur-Lignon in the French Alps. I was part of an international work camp helping out at a secondary school. The Bastille Day celebration went on into the wee hours [...]
Pat Taub
A Daughter-in-Law’s Take on Mothers-in-Law
by Edwige Charlot, Guest Blogger This post is a response to “Why Do Mothers-in-Law Get A Bad Rap?” published on WOW on June 20th . From my time as the girlfriend, I knew that if my then boyfriend and I ever got married I’d be marrying into his family. By the time we were engaged, I was already well versed in the mother- in-law [...]
Pat Taub
Dressing Cheerfully, Carrie Fisher & Thoughtful Aging
An Older Woman with a Positive Attitude I took this photo of Sandi on Pine Street in Portland’s West End. She was flattered that I asked to take her picture. I complimented her, “Your red hat is wonderful.” Her response, “I’m very proud of it. I decorated it myself.” I love Sandi’s entire colorful ensemble and her accompanying [...]
Pat Taub
Winning Videos for Summer Watching
Maybe you’re on vacation facing an all-day rain, or you’re laid up with a summer cold, or you simply want to escape the maddening crowd to binge video, but you face too many choices. How to settle on a video that won’t have you restless ten minutes in? To help you I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite videos featuring strong [...]
Pat Taub
Women’s Friendships, Beatrix at Dinner & Avocado Toast
The Magic of Women’s Friendships As I age I increasingly value my close female friendships. It’s comforting to grow old with women who can resonate with the challenges of aging and the settling in that accompanies it. I was reminded of the vitality of women’s friendships when I spotted these two old friends in animated discussion over [...]
Pat Taub
What’s a “Bad Feminist”?
In her bestseller, Bad Feminist, 40-year-old Roxane Gay calls herself a “bad feminist” because she likes Hip-hop music with sexist lyrics, “Law and Order” (which abounds in rape plots), anything pink, and Vogue. I assume Gay, a third wave feminist, consulted the second wave feminist playbook when drawing the conclusion that she’s [...]
Pat Taub