Too many older adults feel as though they have lost power as they age. The exact opposite may be true, and this category assembles the blogs that explain and celebrate this certainty: Our personal power may remain strong and useful in our later years.
Just now I was grappling with the task of folding fitted bed sheets neatly—something I try to do when I’m not writing. As a momentary sabbatical from impossibility, let me offer you the encouragement and wisdom of a newsletter specifically focused on the process and reality of elderhood. The resource is called Rich and Charlie Resources, and it arrives on your e-doorstep the first day ofMORE...
In less time than it takes to parse “I ain’t no whippersnapper, Sonny,” I’ll be observing a birthday whose number is linked in *Scripture with being strong. When my father reached that milestone, his birthday card included my simple message: “You made it!” I went on to extol the continuing strengths I saw in him. As I approach that same number of years, I know that I can’t credit my well-being toMORE...
News you may have missed: The default tendency of our bodies’ *antigens to combat previously known invaders, but not necessarily their newer mutations. An example: Those infected with earlier forms of COVID19—or immunized against Delta, Omnicron and their viral cousins—might not develop or maintain the antigens necessary to combat newly emerging variants. Epidemiologists have dubbed thisMORE...
I sometimes award myself the imaginary degree, an MA in Obvious. It’s my way of reminding myself how unhelpful it can be to speak or write about matters already well-known, perhaps insulting the intelligence and insights of readers and listeners. This tendency may be a personality trait among those of us who have lived longer. Accumulating experience and expertise over our lifetimes—and with anMORE...
One of my favorite memorized Scriptures is the one about *“a roaring lion seeking to devour you.” My Lutheran elementary school teachers explained to us how Satan is always tempting and prowling like a fearsome—and hungry—lion. The teachers’ warnings were a helpful blessing. One major problem: 99.9% of life’s temptations don’t present themselves as noisome feline predators. If they did, I’d hearMORE...
Over the past few months, I’ve felt like my troubled outlook about the world may be gradually eroding the rest of my life. Others have shared similar feelings: That we’re wandering through the darkness of our vulnerabilities. That we’ve lost our sense of emotional buoyancy. That the confining skin of these thought patterns is hard to shed. To help sort out those feelings, I’ve reread theMORE...
This entry is part of an occasional series in which metaphorical ideas find their way onto your screen. Its roots are simple: When you look with fresh eyes, there may be life lessons to find in just about anything. Today: Unraveling or pruning? It’s tempting to think that life as we know it is unraveling. Current events seem to warrant that assumption: Russia’s war on Ukraine (and on the existingMORE...
Forgetfulness is one of the most bothersome aspects of growing older—the assumption that absent-mindedness is the first sign of mental decline among older citizens. Let me offer a different perspective. Many older adults are just a little slower on the uptake. When asked cognitive questions, codgers like me may take a split second longer to respond. Are my neurons firing at slower speeds, or isMORE...
Experts in cognitive health tell us that we can strengthen mental acuity by exercising our mental functions. The maxim, “Use it or lose it”, applies quite well to puzzles, board games, reading, writing and conversation. This gets me thinking about the possibility of inventing my own mental exercises. Here are some word-related brain calisthenics I engage in regularly: ANAGRAMS – Playing with theMORE...
(If you’ve been reading these entries for awhile, you’ll recognize legacy as a recuring idea. Today the same theme, but with a twist that might be helpful for your spirit in these times.) Some days it’s hard to find or hold a positive perspective about what’s occurring in our world. Years ago I wrote a book about *finding hope. I was convinced back then—as I am now—that one source for hope mightMORE...
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.