WOW: Women's Older Wisdom
WOW

November 2024
M T W T F S S
« Oct    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Categories


Post-Election Despair

It’s been just one week since Trump won the Presidential election, catapulting many into despair, terrified of his campaign pledges to deport millions and roll back human rights, like making abortions illegal nationwide. Upon hearing [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub
Aging10

What I Hold

This past weekend I hunkered down with treasured artist Maira Kalman’s latest book, Women Holding Things, a collection of playful drawings of women holding things accompanied by Kalman’s witty commentary. This delightful book prompted me to make a list of some of the things I hold along with those that will free me up if I stop holding [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

Coping with Loneliness

“I do pretty well living alone, but on days when I crave companionship, it becomes depressing.”  “I’m too embarrassed to reach out to friends when I’m feeling lonely.”  “My family sees me as a strong woman, so they don’t realize I get lonely and would like them to contact me more.” “I wish there were places, other [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

Easing into Old Age

My grandmothers and mother lived well into their 80’s, transitioning into old age with only minimal complaints. While they followed healthy diets and exercised moderately, they didn’t obsess over their daily routines, or fret about their extra pounds or wrinkles. They simply didn’t stress about aging. Granted they lived at a time [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

You Can’t Make Old Friends

GUEST POST by MARY LOU SMITH* When I was young, I would hear my elders say, “My circle of friends is getting smaller,” The words passed right over me, without listening or understanding. Now that I am eighty-three, I am in the midst of living those words. The recent death of my soulmate, friend, and “sister” Lucille, of fifty-three [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

The Gift of Grief

GUEST POST by JACOB WATSON At first and for many months after my wife died, I felt brutalized. Grief is brutal, a word I used often when my grief was fresh. Then slowly, way too slowly for inpatient me, a transformation began to happen. I remembered a class I took in my doctoral program taught by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, the feminist author [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

Death Journaling

GUEST POST by FRANCESCA LYNN ARNOLDY* My Death Journal is a gift for my beloveds that I have been lovingly creating for many years. It’s meant for my end of life—whenever that occurs. My family members know of its purpose and where it lives. My Death Journal contains mementos, messages, song lyrics, poetry, quotes, wishes for care if and [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

Wise Women Speak

As a young woman, I never would have predicted that landing in my eighth decade would usher in the most content state of my life.  I expected the challenges of being in an aging body would sour my mood.  Instead, I finally grew up. I learned to reap the lessons from all my years of soul-searching, growing from romantic heartbreaks, career [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub

My Secret

GUEST POST by MARGIE CAMPBELL I’m going to tell you a secret. It isn’t something that I tell readily these days. It is something that has been a burden lately. Perhaps if I share it with you, I’ll become more comfortable with it. So, what is it that causes you so much concern, you may well ask? Okay, here it is—some months ago I turned [...]

Pat TaubPat Taub