A few years ago I wrote that some individuals retire to escape routines yet, paradoxically, routines can form the very framework necessary for happiness in our sunset years. In retirement I recognized the need to shape my days and weeks but decided to replace the uninspiring word ‘routine’ with ‘ritual’. The year 2020 reminded me […]
FIRES FOR MIND AND BODY
A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) A pleasure of the lockdown in Vancouver this winter is turning on our gas fireplace. Although we didn’t list a fireplace as an essential when buying our homes here or in Scottsdale, […]
FOREST BATHING: TRANSFORMATIVE WORDS
What’s in a word or two? For me, a lot. Take the words “forest bathing”, introduced to me by my sister-in-law Linda, and derived from the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku developed in the 1980s. Shinrin-yoku, which translates as “forest” and “bath”, means bathing in the forest atmosphere — or absorbing the forest through our senses. […]
THE POWER OF ONE THING
In this post guest writer Barbara Richardson reflects on her first 18 months of retirement. I retired in June 2019 after 35 years of a rewarding, thrilling, adventurous career. I thought a lot about it before I retired. A lot. Would I be bored, lose my self-identity, have financial worries without a paycheque, get depressed? […]
PANDEMIC POSITIVES: ARE THERE ANY?
Guest writer Tanya Loretto is a Spiritual Mentor within the Christian tradition but journeys with people of all faith traditions, as well as those with no religious affiliation. She has personal and professional experience in the areas of grief, neurological disability, mental illness, dementia, and addiction. She wrote the following article for my blog. No […]
TWO SLEEPS RATHER THAN ONE?
Guest writer Patricia Young was a Law Librarian for 20 years in Ottawa and Montreal, serving on the executive of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries in several positions including President. Pat then moved to Los Baños, Philippines. After volunteering for a few years, she discovered her true calling as a school librarian for grades […]
SEEING CLEARLY
This month Glen and I celebrate a year of cataract free vision. It’s embarrassingly cute that we both required cataract surgery in our eyes at the same time. And the same ophthalmologist operated twice on each of us on the same days last year. Given our ages, however, it seems we’re rather typical. Cataracts are […]
TRAINS OF THOUGHT
Guest writer Barbara Richardson retired a year ago to Alberta from a career in the Foreign Service. She lived in Ottawa, Manila, Nairobi, Dhaka, Harare and Prague and was Ambassador for three assignments. Coronavirus was not in her retirement plan. Retirement brings the luxury of time. Freed from work pressures and child-rearing demands, we now […]
STAYDAYS STAVE OFF THE BLUES
“Stay home” has been a dominant message during the pandemic, in addition to frequent hand washing, social distancing, wearing masks and, in BC, being kind, calm and safe. Early on the instruction meant sheltering in place, especially for older adults. Then we were encouraged to go outdoors for walks, while maintaining 2 m distance from […]
A NAP A DAY
There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled.” — Ovid In the ’60s when Mom had a house full — and I mean full — of children, she took to napping weekdays from 3-4 pm. She’d get right under the covers of her bed […]