Initially my plan in interviewing Penny Rosenwasser, a founding board member of Jewish Voice for Peace, was to highlight the work...
Aging Thoughtfully10
Silver Linings From the Lockdown
In the beginning of my lockdown I was antsy: irritated at not being able to see friends, eat out, and plan a summer trip with my grandchildren. My days were endless and depressing. Once I settled into the lockdown, I began to re-examine my lifestyle choices. Why had I been making all those trips to the mall for clothes I didn’t need, or [...]
Pat Taub
Country Tranquility, COVID Insight, A Good Zoom & More
Country Tranquility This weekend I’m opening my country retreat, a little over an hour’s drive from Portland, Maine. My soul comes alive here. It can breathe here. I feel very fortunate to have this space. No car noises, only chirping birds and the wind whispering through the trees. Here’s an image of my garden coming to life. [...]
Pat Taub
Good Medicine: Handwritten Letters in the Time of Covid-19
GUEST POST by ZOE FITZGERALD-BECKETT Texting, and tweeting, and all the social media posting apps are a part of life now and serving in their way to keep us informed and in touch. But as a prescription for healing and strengthening our spirits during COVID-19, I recommend picking up a pen and writing a letter. Two years ago, a health [...]
Pat Taub
Moving from Darkness into the Light
The other night I woke up at 3:30 am, my fears in over-drive. I worried that it will be months before I can see family and friends, that I’m massively wasting time every day, and on a lighter note, bemoaned cutting my hibernated hair. As I was tossing and turning I had a small epiphany: I’ve been neglecting my spiritual practices, which [...]
Pat Taub
Dealing with Uncertainty
GUEST POST by GWEN McCAULEY Here I am thinking of ‘retiring’ for a second time after officially retiring 25 years ago. That first time I retired I received a generous buy-out package from a major telecommunications company after 20 years of hard work and much success. I knew the world was changing. I knew that the aspects of corporate [...]
Pat Taub
Aging May be a Laughing Matter After All . . .
Did you know it’s believed that a sense of humor can increase your life span? Thoughtful aging tends to stress diet and exercise, having a sense of purpose and close, nurturing relationships while frequently overlooking the benefits of humor. I’m not referring to humor which is mean-spirited, but humor used to alleviate frustration with [...]
Pat Taub
Adventure with My Father-in-Law
GUEST POST by JANET WEIL “You’re taking your walker, right?” I kept my voice low-key, but I really wanted my 98-year-old father-in-law to use his “Cadillac” four-wheeler for our short walk. “I guess so,” Bob replied, and we set out for our lunch date, the monthly gathering of Yale alumni in Portland, Oregon. Knowing my interest [...]
Pat Taub
Enlarging the Corner
GUEST POST by MICHAEL STEINMAN Every morning, Benjamin Franklin asked himself, “What good shall I do today?” My answers are variations on a theme: spread joy, be kind, think of others. For nearly six decades, my pole star has been Louis Armstrong, who made people happier, who gave generously of himself. His joy, his art, and his livelihood [...]
Pat Taub
Yes, To Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks!
“Don’t try to explain a lot to her. She’s too old to get it.” (Two clerks at a Best Buy referring to an older woman in the market for a new TV.) This is typical of the way older adults are stereotyped in our youth-obsessed culture. I won’t stand for it! I’m in my eighth decade, and I’m anything but set in my ways. I continue [...]
Pat Taub
The Week I Became A Little Old Lady
Even though I’m in my 8th decade, most days I feel youngish, energetic and in step with the world, old, but not really old. This past week my self-image was radically challenged when a few random encounters forced me to recognize that I am often seen as a little old lady–a likely stereotype given my short stature and thin frame. [...]
Pat Taub