A few decades ago at a national conference of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education, I served as a mentor to an eager young woman, new to her job in Development at Concordia University. “Be an interesting person,” I told her. “In our profession, we will meet people of all ages, from different […]
A HOUSE ALONE IS NOT A HOME
Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” Charles Dickens I’ve struggled with the notion of ‘home’ ever since leaving mine in Edmonton AB at age 18. For a decade I sampled cities and towns, even the backwoods […]
FALLING, YES I’M FALLING
My first fall happened in 2014 when I tripped on a slight ridge in the sidewalk, toppling to the ground in front of a few bystanders. I got to my feet and proceeded running (walking actually) my errands. Once home, I saw blood and grime on my face, as well as a huge shiner developing on my eye. My second fall […]
TOO MUCH TOGETHERNESS?
When our son was young, we read several books from The Berenstain Bears series, formulaic children’s stories about a family of bears confronting common concerns. The stories often dealt with excess, for example, Too Much Teasing, Too Much TV and Too Much Junk Food. Although Glen and I analyzed various aspects of retirement, we didn’t really visualize day-to-day living. Like many couples, we […]
A PARTIAL PRESCRIPTION FOR HAPPINESS
In 2011 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all people.” Since 2013 we observe the International Day of Happiness every year on March 20. At this stage, […]
THE BRAIN DRAIN
My title doesn’t refer to an exodus of talented individuals from our country. It alludes to the declining capability of the brain as we age. My friend Ian got me thinking about the brain with his email following: “While cogitating on retirement-related issues, pressed to the fore by your blog, I’ve been reading a “brain […]