I’ve been meaning to do this for awhile: Invite you to subscribe to a free online newsletter/journal especially written for older adults and their caregivers! This one-of-a-kind resource can be found at www.nextavenue.org and it’s definitely worth clicking on, worth supporting financially, too. Let me tell you why…. In my experience, Next Avenue is probably the most helpful source ofMORE...
A few days ago Chris and I watched the Academy Award-winning film, Nomadland. The film follows Fern, a van-dwelling older adult, through a year of her life as a contemporary nomad. The film’s plot moves slowly through a series of small events, gradually revealing Fern’s character and history. Her future? Left in the air at the film’s closing scene. The following thoughts have stuck with me…. FernMORE...
Lately I’ve noticed the increasing appearance of inflection point. This new 1 buzzword signals that we’ve ridden the arc of our society downward, and are at the point where the direction of our nation is turning upward again. Commentators usually name a specific event as a possible arc-turning moment. An inflection point clearly divides before from after, and carries an implicitly hopeful messageMORE...
Today’s entry is a tale that fits within the general category, “I’m happy to be alive.” No metaphor, moral teaching or invitation to action. Sometimes it’s enough just to tell a story. For my previous birthday, I received a yellow ceramic bird bath (with stand) and a solar-powered mini-fountain. It sits in a safe place in our back yard, attracting a good number of birds for drinking and bathingMORE...
Lately I’ve noticed the recurring appearance of “1 languishing”, a term used to describe how the COVID pandemic may have affected the nation. The non-languishing part of me wants to 2 push back. I’m still vibrant, alert, eager about life, grateful and generous. I still have miles to go, with plenty of oomph to explore fascinating horizons. I don’t want to be set aside quite yet. As I edgeMORE...
One of the quiet blessings of the sequestrated lifestyle is the invitation to daydream, to wander in thought. Over the past many months, I’ve taken advantage of this opportunity, and sometimes find myself meandering off into memories about people, places and events from long ago and far away. Those reveries have been part of my prayer life, in a practice I’ve termed “praying the map”—taking cuesMORE...
Over the years, I’ve noticed that the first signs of cognitive decline and dementia often appear as the loss of memory regarding nouns. A key indicator seems to be the substitution of the word “things” in place of the names for ordinary items. Even common synonyms aren’t available, so “things” becomes the go-to noun. This is a useful work-around, but also can be a signal that word-recallMORE...
A significant part of my solitary thoughts—including those during my dreams—have music attached to them. Active somewhere deep in some unnamed corner of my brain, the intricacies of music spark my imagination and memory. I sometimes find myself recalling or reconstructing moments of music that I’ve played, sung or directed. Because of my training and life experiences, most of that music isMORE...
Post-pandemic 1panis This 2 COVID thing is going to end. And when it does, churches like yours and mine might just hold the secret for pan-societal renewal. Turns out that one of our historical cultural strengths—fellowship fueled by food—might just be the key to restoring vitality to our communities. Think back: Passover was a post-pandemic event. One of our most sacred practices centersMORE...
Easter has come, but it’s not gone! The meaning of this incredible event includes a life-renewing invitation, perhaps directed at those of us who are fully vaccinated: “Can you come out to play?” Given all that we’ve been through this past year, “play” may seem like too strong a word for how we might live now. Fun and frivolity may feel like empty-headed avoidance of reality. Over thisMORE...
BOB SITZE has filled the many years of his lifework in diverse settings around the United States. His calling has included careers as a teacher/principal, church musician, writer/author, denominational executive staff member and meat worker. Bob lives in Wheaton, IL.