This week's newsletter struck a chord with me. My father died 3 years ago and he lived a good life until the last few years he turned frail in body and spirit as his health failed and my mother was swallowed in dementia. It was sad but not sad. And I'm starting to feel the effects of age now too, so your 4 tips give me goals to shoot for.
Last week you quoted Rollo May who said depression is the inability to construct a future. As many of my dreams have dimmed or died due to age I find it harder to construct a future. Your newsletter this week provides some inspiration to get building.
"To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization."
It reminded me of my grandmother and how she made every action of her life a moment of grace in its sheerest simplicity. I hadn't realized that until the quotation triggered those memories.
Thank you for all the thought journeys and curious adventures you send us on.
Thanks, Larry. I only discovered that Stowe quotation this past week, and I had a similar reaction. It is remarkable, isn't it? I also so happy to hear that it stimulated so many wonderful memories. Quotations often do that, don't they?
Thanks, Dick, I appreciate your heartwarming words. I don't collect quotations to inspire others, but to inspire me--and then, when I share them with others, they keep on doing their magic!
Good Sunday Morning y'all. The spring flowers are making an early appearance here in very rural Western Turkey.... and it snowed in Northern Florida! What's going on?? Who has time to think of 'aging'... and yet we can't avoid it. Every day my passport gets older and older! And about curiosity...........I was in this country teaching only two months when I found out what was wrong with the educational system here. They don't understand (or else they fear) the need and the benefit of encouraging kids (or anyone) to think independently....it's all repetition...rote learning. Big, Big, Big mistake...as we see the same processes slowly metastasize into life in the US...no one wants to take the time or trouble to search for answers...It's almost like eating fast food....we've become lazy thinkers and that's not healthy. So as my passport ages, I try to find things that I can do that will live on after me in some 'material' sense. I'd hate to know that all of these past decades were going to vanish like 'dust in the wind'....It would be nice if 1000 years from now, someone could pick up something I created (one of my silly 'pebble pals' perhaps) and say 'someone who once lived made this with her own head and hands, ain't that nice?' Better than dust bunnies under the sofa! Have a good safe healthy day....And don't forget, getting old beats the hell out of the alternative!! Live long and prosper!
"No point in being eighty is there if you can't be a bit outrageous?" My philosophy exactly! However one must be either old or rich to be eccentric. How old or how rich must one be?
Glad to hear it resonated with you, John. It did for me as well! I disagree with your other thought, though. Eccentricity, I think, is open to all. I've certainly met my share of young as well as poor eccentrics.
I took a quote from Dr Mardy's Dictionary of Metaphorical Quotations for Chapter 13 of my autobiography, and it rings true here as well. "If you rest, you rust." Helen Hayes, in, My Life in Three Acts (1990; with Katherine Hatch)
At the risk of breaking my arm patting myself on the back, I would say, at 93, I've been a fine example of being old and growing older. My answer? Not only curiosity (a mind full of who, what, where, when, why, how), but optimism and joy in "little" things that are so much bigger than the "big" things. Your weekly newsletter is definitely one of the little big things for me to keep waking up every Sunday, Mardy.
"I’ve always admired older women—especially those who are commonly described as demure—who retain the ability to say or do something outrageous, or even shocking. To me, it’s a key indicator of effective aging. " Crap. I wrote and lost the email. Drats.
Anyway, too bad it takes us so long to know this......or embrace it! I love being outrageious or shocking now and then! There were "old" people when I was in my 20's and 30's who knew this. I was not yet ready to listen. Even with the physical and emotional challenges of an 84 year old with severe limitd mobility, I will continue to be in the stage "effective aging."
Age is giving me the two best gifts: softness and illumination. It would have been nice if whoever is in charge of such things doled them out in our younger years, but that’s not how it works. Age ferries them across the water, and they will bring us through whatever comes.
Latest (Week 6) in her series of a "User's Guide to Aging" published in The Washington Post this weekend. This one is titled "All that is true about aging is illuminated on a walk."
This week's newsletter struck a chord with me. My father died 3 years ago and he lived a good life until the last few years he turned frail in body and spirit as his health failed and my mother was swallowed in dementia. It was sad but not sad. And I'm starting to feel the effects of age now too, so your 4 tips give me goals to shoot for.
Last week you quoted Rollo May who said depression is the inability to construct a future. As many of my dreams have dimmed or died due to age I find it harder to construct a future. Your newsletter this week provides some inspiration to get building.
Thanks for sharing your story, John. My best wishes to you as you construct your future!
I’m put this in my saved folder to read over and over again. Such impo
Oops. Such an important reminder of how I want to age! Thank you!!!
Truly my pleasure, Barbara. Glad you appreciated the issue. It's an important topic for all of us!
Great post, as always, Dr. Mardy - and I love your quote!
Thanks, Barry. And thanks again!
Thanks for celebrating aging. I loved the quotes.
Thank you, Mardy. This has helped a lot. I will definitely be employing some of the advice. Some good reminders here too. All the best, John.
Thanks, John. Glad to hear it. A number of them were excellent reminders for me as well.
Look forward to some more next week. Cheers, Mardy.
Me, too! Still haven't started on it.
The Harriet Beecher Stowe quote got me.
"To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization."
It reminded me of my grandmother and how she made every action of her life a moment of grace in its sheerest simplicity. I hadn't realized that until the quotation triggered those memories.
Thank you for all the thought journeys and curious adventures you send us on.
Thanks, Larry. I only discovered that Stowe quotation this past week, and I had a similar reaction. It is remarkable, isn't it? I also so happy to hear that it stimulated so many wonderful memories. Quotations often do that, don't they?
Thanks, Mardy! This helps me going forward, and I will share with others.
You’re doing the world a favor with letters like this, and you are a wonderful example of what you write.
Best,
Dick
Thanks, Dick, I appreciate your heartwarming words. I don't collect quotations to inspire others, but to inspire me--and then, when I share them with others, they keep on doing their magic!
Good Sunday Morning y'all. The spring flowers are making an early appearance here in very rural Western Turkey.... and it snowed in Northern Florida! What's going on?? Who has time to think of 'aging'... and yet we can't avoid it. Every day my passport gets older and older! And about curiosity...........I was in this country teaching only two months when I found out what was wrong with the educational system here. They don't understand (or else they fear) the need and the benefit of encouraging kids (or anyone) to think independently....it's all repetition...rote learning. Big, Big, Big mistake...as we see the same processes slowly metastasize into life in the US...no one wants to take the time or trouble to search for answers...It's almost like eating fast food....we've become lazy thinkers and that's not healthy. So as my passport ages, I try to find things that I can do that will live on after me in some 'material' sense. I'd hate to know that all of these past decades were going to vanish like 'dust in the wind'....It would be nice if 1000 years from now, someone could pick up something I created (one of my silly 'pebble pals' perhaps) and say 'someone who once lived made this with her own head and hands, ain't that nice?' Better than dust bunnies under the sofa! Have a good safe healthy day....And don't forget, getting old beats the hell out of the alternative!! Live long and prosper!
Thanks for weighing in Arlene. It wouldn't be Sunday without hearing from you!!!
Good post as always, Mardy. This thought sprang to mind:
We're all on the same ride. Might as well stick your hands out of the cart and enjoy it.
Thank, Harvey. That is a lovely thought--and a lovely image as well!
"No point in being eighty is there if you can't be a bit outrageous?" My philosophy exactly! However one must be either old or rich to be eccentric. How old or how rich must one be?
Glad to hear it resonated with you, John. It did for me as well! I disagree with your other thought, though. Eccentricity, I think, is open to all. I've certainly met my share of young as well as poor eccentrics.
Thanks for the kind words, Harvey.
I took a quote from Dr Mardy's Dictionary of Metaphorical Quotations for Chapter 13 of my autobiography, and it rings true here as well. "If you rest, you rust." Helen Hayes, in, My Life in Three Acts (1990; with Katherine Hatch)
Thanks, Mike. Yes, that Hayes quotations does also ring true here.
At the risk of breaking my arm patting myself on the back, I would say, at 93, I've been a fine example of being old and growing older. My answer? Not only curiosity (a mind full of who, what, where, when, why, how), but optimism and joy in "little" things that are so much bigger than the "big" things. Your weekly newsletter is definitely one of the little big things for me to keep waking up every Sunday, Mardy.
Based on everything I know about you, I fully concur with your self-assessment, Pat. And thanks also for your kind words about my efforts.
"I’ve always admired older women—especially those who are commonly described as demure—who retain the ability to say or do something outrageous, or even shocking. To me, it’s a key indicator of effective aging. " Crap. I wrote and lost the email. Drats.
Anyway, too bad it takes us so long to know this......or embrace it! I love being outrageious or shocking now and then! There were "old" people when I was in my 20's and 30's who knew this. I was not yet ready to listen. Even with the physical and emotional challenges of an 84 year old with severe limitd mobility, I will continue to be in the stage "effective aging."
You most certainly will, my dear Sheila. It's one of the things I most love about you!
Here's a quote from Anne Lamott I just read:
Age is giving me the two best gifts: softness and illumination. It would have been nice if whoever is in charge of such things doled them out in our younger years, but that’s not how it works. Age ferries them across the water, and they will bring us through whatever comes.
Thanks, David. A good one. Do you have a source?
Latest (Week 6) in her series of a "User's Guide to Aging" published in The Washington Post this weekend. This one is titled "All that is true about aging is illuminated on a walk."
I'll e-mail you a copy. cheers
Excellent! Thanks, my friend.
Just sent. She's a pippin.