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 […]
SENIORS’ DISCOUNTS OR BUSINESS AS USUAL?
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” So said Mark Twain in the 19th century and yet, in the 21st century, age matters. We mark milestones, such as mine reached today: age 65. Officially a senior. Retirement used to be mandatory when we became seniors. Since 2006 (later in some provinces), […]
BUSY IS AS BUSY DOES
About the word “busy,” we’ve all heard — or even uttered — these sentences: “I’d love to, but I’m too busy.” “Some other time, since I’m so busy.” “I’m as busy in retirement as I’ve ever been.” In 1986 sociologist David Ekerdt introduced the concept of the “busy ethic.” He claimed “retirement is morally managed and […]
ABOUT BABY BOOMERS
Why create a blog on the sunset years? Because I’m a baby boomer, part of the massive bubble of babies born between 1946 and 1964, and we’re booming our way into the later stage of life. In 2015 Canadians aged 65, the traditional age of retirement, and older constitute 16 percent of the population of […]
A TIME TO STAY AND A TIME TO GO
“Leave when people are sorry to say goodbye.” My mom coined this adage and most often followed it when visiting her family. Despite having to fly to three cities across Canada to see her children and their families, she restricted her visits to three nights. She chose not to overstay her welcome, especially in consideration of her in-laws. We eventually reach a time […]
RALLY ’ROUND RITUALS
“The domestic lives we live … make possible our writing lives; our imaginations are freed by the prospect of … a predictable and consoling routine.” Joyce Carol Oates Some individuals retire to escape routines yet, paradoxically, routines can form the very framework necessary for happiness in our sunset years. When I retired from my nine […]