Aging well
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Love and goodbye
“Grief is the price we pay for love.” ~Queen Elizabeth II Watching the beautiful funeral ceremonies for Queen Elizabeth II yesterday, I got to thinking about the many ways that love opens us to the possibility of loss. Throughout our lives, we lose close friends who move away. As we age, our parents slow down. As our kids and grandkids grow up, we feel another kind of loss as we watch childhood give way to adulthood. Each time I wave goodbye — when a car filled with loved ones is backing out of my driveway, or I’m leaving a dear friend at a restaurant — a twinge of sadness tugs…
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Storms
“Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path.” ~Angel Chernoff, Marc & Angel Hack Life Nature has a way of reminding us of who’s in control. Here in southeast Michigan, most of us can recall storms that left us without electricity for days. And in many other parts of the country, major storms have totally devastated the landscape and destroyed homes. Career changes, relationship conflicts, and health crises can also throw us off course or uproot our lives. But as today’s quote suggests, sometimes storms “clear the path” and change things for the better — even though we don’t realize it until we look…
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New fall writing workshops
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” ~Henry Ford I’m excited about several new workshops I’ll be teaching at two local libraries this fall. Each workshop will be announced on this blog as we get closer to the dates. Coming soon in November: A poetry appreciation workshop for people who think they don’t like poetry … Stay tuned for details!
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I’m on the radio tonight
I never know which posts or column links will hit home when I hit “Publish.” So I’m always surprised and happy to hear from readers who follow this blog. Earlier this week, I received an email from radio personality Marie Osborne, who is guest-hosting the Mitch Album Show on WJR (AM 760 on the dial) with Steve Courtney. Marie read my recent Oakland Press column about family heirlooms and why millennials don’t want to inherit them. The topic resonated with her and she invited me to discuss the topic on her show. I’m honored to be asked — and looking forward to it. Tune in to WJR this evening at…
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The road ahead
“People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it. Better yet, build it. Predicting the future is much too easy, anyway. You look at the people around you, the street you stand on, the visible air you breathe, and predict more of the same. To hell with more. I want better.” ~Ray Bradbury, Beyond 1984: The People Machines As we age, we map out the course of our own future. We plan for retirement and organize our personal finances. We might start thinking about who will care for us if or when our health declines. At the same time, we need to consider the…
