You don’t “reinvent” after loss or upheaval. You regenerate—slowly, awkwardly, imperfectly—into someone who can live with what changed you. I watched the lizard sashay into my bathroom as if it owned the place—a reminder that chaos arrives regardless of how tightly...
What if getting older meant returning to your most curious, unguarded self—and rediscovering wonder along the way? I’ve been living in two worlds. One is alive and full with discovery—children experiencing their first days at school, the thrill of new friendships, the...
Eighteen words to capture a life. Our new Minimoir™ Challenge proves small stories can reveal the biggest truths. As we age, and in this age of short attention spans, I wondered if I could write my memoir in 18 words. I called it a minimoir. Why 18? The number 18 is...
If You Have No Regrets, Maybe You Haven’t Been Paying Attention When someone tells me they have no regrets, I can’t help it. I see a person as bottled up as carbonated water, one twist cap away from exploding. Come on. Everyone has regrets—at least occasionally. The...
What a Life Review Can Teach Us About Forgiveness, Legacy—and Moving Forward A couple of years ago, I was watching the documentary Jane Fonda in Five Acts when she mentioned something that stuck with me like a seed waiting for the right season: She had done a “life...
Turns Out, Having It All Isn’t the Goal. Knowing What’s Worth Having? That’s the Win. At 30, I thought I had everything: a job, health insurance, and a fiancé. Looking back, that was just the “starter pack” women were promised in our youth. I followed the rules,...
Patty Wagstaff doesn’t care if you think she’s too old to fly upside down. At 73, the aerobatic legend is still defying gravity—and everyone’s expectations. As the first woman to win the U.S. National Aerobatic Championship, she broke into a male-dominated world and...
Mother’s Day is one of those holidays that carries both warmth and weight, and we're sharing Mother's Day messages from our readers. Though it’s simple in concept—celebrate moms—it’s often complex in reality. Not everyone can or wants to participate. For some, the day...
A few months ago, I stumbled upon a heated Facebook discussion in my community. The conversation revolved around what some parents in their 30s and 40s referred to as the "old people" in the neighborhood. Many felt that seniors should move out, and into senior...
When I learned that Sara had a career in the optical industry, it made perfect sense. She noticed everything. Her eye for detail extended beyond lenses and frames. She had a gift for truly seeing people—their hidden strengths, their fears, their untapped potential....