If you live alone, if your family is scattered far and wide, if you recently lost a partner or spouse, if you can’t afford the plane...
Positive Self-Image10
Shedding Anger
One of the most valuable lessons aging has bestowed on me is the importance of shedding anger. The less anger I hold, the more inner peace I possess. I’ve learned to release a lot of my anger by developing new narratives to replace those that made my blood boil. My new story path originated through writing about my mother. When I submitted [...]
Pat Taub
My Unconventional Valentine’s Rituals
Several years ago, when I grew weary of my unpartnered Valentine’s Days limited to red construction paper hearts from my grandchildren or Internet offers of bargain chocolates, I decided to make a ritual of doing something special for myself on Valentine’s Day, so I wouldn’t feel left out. That first year I indulged in a longtime desire [...]
Pat Taub
No Bucket List for This Gal!
I think I will tear my hair out if one more person asks, “How’s your bucket list coming along?” The implication is that I’m running out of time to camp in the Sahara, jump out of an airplane, learn Italian or any number of demanding feats. If I were to answer, “The hell with a bucket list,” in all likelihood, I’d be considered [...]
Pat Taub
Badass Older Women Fed Up with Ageism
I’m seeing a new boldness among older women who are speaking out when ageist behavior is directed at them. These women are standing up for themselves and for all of us, when they challenge a culture that demeans them. Meet some of these badass women: Rachel, age 69, is a frequent traveler who at just 5’ struggles getting her suitcase into [...]
Pat Taub
Taking on the Anti-Aging Movement
In a society that worships youth, my wrinkles, white hair, sagging breasts and flabby upper arms render me unacceptable. The anti-aging industry to the rescue! If I go in for plastic surgery, facial fillers, hair dye, beauty creams and medical supplements, I can defy nature, while stuffing the pockets of the anti-aging fat cats, on target [...]
Pat Taub
What We Like About Getting Older
Research has found that older women are discovering that age has unanticipated rewards. Setting aside the usual physical symptoms like arthritis, decreased flexibility and stamina, the older woman sparkles in new ways. She frequently finds herself more content and more confident, while still full of dreams. Eager to capture individual [...]
Pat Taub
Mary Oliver: Poetry That Heals
I feel like I’m living inside the song, “Stop the World I Want to Get Off,” as I reel from our climate crisis, Afghanistan’s unraveling and a new Covid surge. Mary Oliver to the rescue! I pull one of her poetry books from my shelf, find a quiet place to stretch out and start to read. Oliver’s poems are balm for my soul. They settle [...]
Pat Taub
“I Hate Getting Old”
I recently received an email from a WOW reader, who confessed to being angry about aging: “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 presents a formidable [...]
Pat Taub
Celebrating Feisty Old Broads
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day. These immortal words of Dylan Thomas are a suitable motto for Feisty Old Broads, older women who reject the stereotype of the accommodating old lady. The FOB’s are women who are fearless in their individuality. They speak truth to power, laugh a lot, have [...]
Pat Taub
Practicing Forgiveness Is a Game Changer
Forgiveness is especially meaningful late in life. This is the time to wipe the slate clean, to do away with emotional baggage that prevents us from living in the moment. To quote Ram Dass: “The role of elders is to move away from ego into soul.” What could be better for the soul than to practice forgiveness? You might ask: “How [...]
Pat Taub