It’s been just one week since Trump won the Presidential election, catapulting many into despair, terrified of his campaign pledges...
Aging Thoughtfully10
Miserable with Getting Old
I recently received an email from a WOW reader, who described herself as “miserable with aging.” She wrote, “I hate getting old. I hate the wrinkles, sleep problems and bouts of loneliness . . . I hate having aged out of the dating scene.” The reader’s complaints carry a universal ring in our ageist and sexist culture, which [...]
Pat Taub
A Self-Care Skeptic
I had a lousy week. I fractured my foot. I was freaked out by the more-depressing-than-usual headlines of amped-up hate speech, of an American journalist being brutally murdered by the Saudis, of rampant voter suppression and on and on. There seemed to be no end to bad news. To lift my spirits I tried the familiar self-care suggestions. [...]
Pat Taub
Having My Sanity Tested, Compassion, A Woman with Spirit & More!
Trying to Stay Sane! The accelerating racist and hate speech spewing from the White House and the Congressional races is making it harder and harder for me to stay sane. Recently addressing his base, Trump singled-out Greg Gianforte, the Congress member from Montana, praising him for violently attacking a Guardian reporter, saying that someone [...]
Pat Taub
Struggling to Help Someone Who’s Grieving
I wish I could say that the many deaths I’ve experienced have left me with the skills and confidence to comfort the newly grief-stricken. But that’s not the case. Every time a close friend or relative is hit with a death, I reach out with my condolences and offers of support, but no matter how many times I’ve done this, it feels awkward. [...]
Pat Taub
Witnessing Death
GUEST POST BY MARGIE MARTIN CAMPBELL I first encountered death when I was three. I watched my beloved Grandpa (Dad’s father) restlessly walking the floor, then sitting on the couch only to return to his pacing. I had noticed he hadn’t eaten, so I suggested to Mom that she fix him something. I wondered why she had such a strange look on [...]
Pat Taub
20 Empowering & Inspiring Quotes About Getting Older
Guest Post by Becca Armstrong-Benson A sister writer in the UK has assembled this wonderful list of wise sayings from people from all walks of life, ranging from fashion designers and actors, to activists, astronauts and comedians. These quotes were originally posted at: https://www.uksmobility.co.uk/blog/2018/06/old-age-quotes/ “I [...]
Pat Taub
How Learning to Play the Ukulele Helped Cure My ‘Nameless Depression”
Guest Post by Martha Rice You wake up one morning, and it’s back. You don’t know why. Things have been going along pretty smoothly. But on this morning, you wake up and for no apparent reason, you don’t have the spirit to get out of bed. You are suffering from a condition that I call “nameless depression,” a debilitating feeling [...]
Pat Taub
Count Basie, My Spiritual Guide
Guest Post by Michael Steinman I used to think of the pianist, composer, bandleader Count Basie, whose birthday was August 21st, as a monumental figure of the jazz I love. Maybe he is no more to readers than a dimly remembered figure. As I’ve aged, though, I think of him as a spiritual guide – not in anything he said, but in the spacious [...]
Pat Taub
Are You Neglecting Your Soul?
This is a tricky question because the soul is intangible, mysterious and hard to grasp, yet we recognize when our soul is awakened. Our world lights up, transporting us to another dimension. My soul is stirred when I listen to Aretha Franklin sing, cuddle a newborn baby, watch a sun rise, purchase fresh flowers, or find myself crying [...]
Pat Taub
What Will You Do With the Rest of Your Life?
This question has been staring me in the face as my seventies flash by. When I was young it felt like I had all the time in the world to plot my future. Now my future has shrunk. I go to more funerals than weddings. I catch my children whispering behind my back, comparing notes on how I’ve slowed down. Fundamentally I have two choices: [...]
Pat Taub