Well Past 50: The Weblog of Boomerful.com

My New Year's Resolution: Laugh More in 2008!

No one can deny that we live in stressful times. The turmoil of everyday life can take a toll on us, physically and emotionally. No wonder we may snap at cashiers in grocery stores or feel the urge to ram our cars into jerks who cut us off on the highway. The tension festering inside amplifies the minor problems we face everyday. So what's the solution?

Learn to laugh more!

That advice comes from Pamela Aye Simon, a Masters Level Registered Dietitian, Lifestyle Coach and author of the newly released "Book of Blah: Random Thoughts for Boring Days" from Warren Publishing, Inc. She believes that laughter is a proven antidote to stress hormones, and most us need a refresher course to regain our sense of humor.

"I see so many people who are stressed out and find themselves going berserk over minor issues," Simon says. "Life feels softer if you can see the humorous story behind your frustrations. Laughing may not make the problem itself disappear but it sure helps makes things seem better."

Simon isn't alone in valuing the healthy benefits of humor. Researchers at Loma Linda University's Schools of Medicine and Public Health tout the health benefits of laughter. They've discovered that laughter increases the body's ability to use oxygen. It also lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones and boosts the immune system.

Simon strives to find humor in things that many people find frustrating – like menopause. "Let's be real; menopause is a fact of life for women, we can't avoid it," Simon says. "Instead of getting angry about it or complaining I look at the advantages. Thanks to my hot flashes, I can save a LOT of money on winter clothing!"

Simon certainly has a healthy attitude, and I will make it a New Year's resolution to laugh more in 2008 – though I already laugh quite a lot. But will all that excess laughing give me laugh-lines...? Maybe I'll just chuckle more, to avoid wear-and-tear on the face!

How about you? Do you think you need to laugh more? Also, what are your resolutions for 2008?

5'2" Dynamo Guides Young African-Americans into the Construction Industry

I would like to tell you about a dear friend who has a wonderful attitude and is always a great inspiration to me.

Linda Hannah, pictured at right, is a 5'2" African-American dynamo who has become a front-runner in preparing young people for careers – specifically, in mechanical construction and other construction trades. Described by the Mechanical Contractors Association as “an expert on labor issues affecting minorities, a committed labor recruiter, and caring, compassionate advocate for a diverse workplace in the trades,” she has redesigned the former Skill Builders Program, now calling it the New Skill Builders Program.

Through the program, Linda directs unprepared applicants to community organizations, churches, and Workforce Centers, where classes in math and reading will prepare them for the New Skill Builders 13-week class.

“When they come to our 13-week program, we introduce them to the trades, basic construction skills, interviewing skills, time management skills, budgeting, and conduct test preparation classes,” Linda said. “We teach them the expectations of the construction industry, and show them what they can expect from the trades. These young people didn’t realize they could get paid while they go through an apprenticeship program and make $60,000 or $70,000 a year when they complete the program – plus get great health and welfare benefits.”

Linda has a long history as a recruiter for Chicago-based Pipefitters Local Union 597, which is led by Business Manager James Buchanan. Linda has become an expert at getting students excited about the four-year apprenticeship program at the Local 597 Training Center. She sees construction careers as hugely under-valued by the public and works to get minority students involved in an education program that has become high-tech, often leading to the independence of owning a business.

For a woman who began her career in bank management, Linda found her greatest career gratification when she realized how many African-American teens simply had no idea how to go about finding the right career for themselves and preparing for that career. “Mentors should have a sincere ‘like’ for teens and remember their own teen years,” she said. “A mentor should be willing to share a piece of their life history – go beyond lecturing – be shock proof and, above all, not be in need of immediate gratification.” Linda has done all of those things and more.

She has used her motivational philosophy to provide pro bono technical assistance for start-up mentorship programs such as: The African-American State Farm Insurance Agents; Sisters in the Brotherhood Mentorship Program (carpenters); and the Chicago Freedom School. She believes the absence of mentors’ causes too many teens and young adults re-entering society to remain disconnected from the mainstream of society.

While she knows that mentoring is not a cure-all, she believes in the African proverb: Each one teach one. She is willing to teach as many program managers and mentors as possible so that her concepts can be replicated. Linda is a member of the Illinois Tollway Advisory Committee. She sits on the Boards of Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago Girls Coalition, and Youth Connection Charter Schools, and is the past chair of Girls Best Friend Foundation.

The 5'2" dynamo is doing her share, and more, to bring young African-Americans into an industry that welcomes them with open arms and offers a bright future.

Linda is a great inspiration to me because she is always so cheerful, positive and helpful, and always thinks of others before herself. Tell us about a woman who is a great inspiration to you, and why!

Changing Then, Changing Now

Change was easy at 23. Tired of the old boyfriend?  He is outta here. Tired of your tiny little house or dumpy apartment?  Move tomorrow. Tired of your job?  There must be something better.  If not, I’ll go on unemployment.

At 58 change is not just difficult – it’s close to impossible. I never thought I would be resistant to change. I was a free spirit, a flower child. Yet today I cling to my lifestyle, my business and my home as if my life depended on every one of them remaining exactly the same.

But without change there is no adventure – no growth. We wouldn’t learn to kayak or get in better physical shape with a new workout routine. We wouldn’t get that great new hairstyle or makeover. We wouldn’t extricate ourselves from a bad marriage or boring job.

The most interesting women I know are the ones who take risks later in life. The ones who go back to school, quit their jobs to start their own business, or get a divorce to pursue their lifelong dream of being on their own. They’re interesting because they are brave. They are heroes for their courage to keep trying, to keep chasing their dreams, and holding on to their passion for life. Without change you start to hear words like "stodgy," "crotchety" and "set in her ways" uttered behind your back. And unfortunately, you immediately recognize who they’re talking about.

Anais Nin said, "Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death." We’re too young to die – literally or figuratively. We need to know how to text message. Why? Because it’s what people do today – unless they’re old. We need to know what the popular trends are in hair, make up and fashion, then adapt them to a look that’s right for our age, but still hip. We need to know who Lindsay Lohan is – not because she matters, but because she’s part of the culture of our country in 2007.

We need to constantly identify which change is right for us, and overcome our fear of making the right changes. It’s daunting. It’s terrifying. But it’s the most gratifying thing we can do for ourselves in the long run. 

Forty Years of Raising Children

I thought I would never want to live without children.  From the time I was 17 my children  have been my anchor, my motivation and my happiness.  In addition to my own children I have taken in foster children, acted as a child advocate, and helped found a Boys & Girls Club. I have been on the Board of a halfway house for children at risk and allowed runaways to bunk in my basement. My oldest son, Sean, recently joked that it’s about time for me to start looking for another child to replace my daughter – my last child at home.

Just a few years ago I would have agreed that maybe a foster child would be good – if not an international adoption. This time when he said it I realized something that shocked me. I am so done raising children - mine, someone else’s, permanent or temporary. Forty years now I’ve spent putting their needs before mine, worrying over their safety and questioning every motherly move I make. Have I done irrevocable damage to their delicate psyches by yelling at them? Have I nurtured their egos enough to make them secure, and CONSTANTLY happy human beings? Have I nurtured them enough that they feel secure, and pushed them out of the nest enough that they will be independent?

I have spent 40 years in a constant state of obsessive compulsive panic that I have done less than I should or could to raise perfect specimens of  humanity who are sublimely happy, secure with who they are, highly motivated, and filled with compassion for their fellow man. I have failed. Instead I have only contributed to the development of flawed human beings who get depressed sometimes, are often uncertain of what they want to do with their lives, and occasionally act out of total selfishness.

Yet none of them have committed a felony, become a drug addict or deliberately hurt another human being for their own personal gain. They laugh often, try to do the right thing, help both their friends and strangers in need, and check in with their mother more often than even necessary to make her feel loved and appreciated. They work hard, sometimes squander their money, but land on their feet in the end.  Although they are completely different in nature, they are loyal to each other and respectful of their differences. 

I know I worked harder than I had to at parenting, and worried too much. I wore myself out to a point that grandparenting so far has no appeal. I’ve lost my obsession with giving each and every child alive the level of happiness that I had as a child. There are other causes. Less taxing causes. Walking dogs at the animal shelter sounds gratifying. As does reading to the blind. I still want to help. But I want to help – and walk away, not spend my life being reminded that I may have made a mistake at some point in someone’s life and damaged them forever. Getting old may all be about letting go – and I like it.

Being 50 is Still Not Old Enough

Being a baby boomer woman is pretty sweet. You have come into your age, and finally feel confident that people like you for yourself. Men’s eyes no longer drop to your chest when they meet you, and if they say they respect you for your intelligence, they don’t follow it by trying to cop a feel. But you’re not old enough not to care.

The aging process still gets in the way, however, and the carefree days of running a comb through your hair before taking off on a date are over. Mousse, hairspray and a teasing comb have become essential. But you’re too young to buzz your hair and wear floppy hats and big sweaters so people will say endearing things like, "She’s such a spunky old gal."

It’s a very long "in-between" from being 50 to being old.

You’ve fallen in love with elastic waistbands, but you still have the good sense to cover them with long tops. Thank the fashion gods for bringing the tunic back in style.

The same holds true for memory. You don’t remember enough to keep your kids from snickering every time you have to say, "We were at that one place we always went where they had those things you all liked that start with an "O"…or was it an "A?" Yet you’re not old enough to happily say, "Do I know you?" to relatives you don’t immediately recognize.

Buying a great pair of shoes that don’t fit exactly but they’re only $19.00 is out of the question. The bunion needs room, the arches need support and the hammer toe requires a flexible fabric. But you still occasionally buy the pointy-toed 3 inch heel that make your legs look like Betty Grable’s because there’s still hope that surgery, or a metatarsal miracle, will take care of the foot deformities and you’ll be wearing the fetching little numbers with the open toes and ankle strap again. 

Proving that you can keep up with the guys on a 3 mile hike up Looking Glass Mountain is no longer a sign of your feminine, and quite adorable, determination. It’s a sign that someone is going to have to stay behind to help you hobble back down. But at least you can still get to the top.

You have to keep your chin up – literally and figuratively. You’ll feel more positive and the wrinkles in your neck get pulled tight enough to disguise the dreaded chicken skin.

No More Ms. Nice Girl

When I was growing up the most important thing for a girl to be was "nice." You could be in danger of choking on a mouthful of venom when you would swallow hard (venom doesn’t go down easily), smile and say something "nice."  Mothers didn’t whisper, "Be tough" when their daughters were faced with an altercation.  They whispered, "Be nice" in that tone that clearly indicated that you would be in big trouble if you told the neighborhood brat what was really on your mind. You could defile the memory of several generations of ancestors by actually speaking your mind – unless of course your mind was as pure as the Blessed Virgin Mother.

I was a dutiful daughter. What I lacked in studiousness and restraint with my boyfriend I made up for in niceness. I smiled at all my parents’ old-people-friends, never said a mean word to anyone, and developed a total inability to utter the word “no” when asked to do something to help someone.  Anyone. I had to force myself to hang up on obscene phone callers without the obligatory, "It was nice talking to you."

There were drawbacks to being wholly conditioned to such a degree of felicitousness.  Throughout my entire life I found myself spending inordinate amounts of time with people I would just as soon have avoided altogether.  Guys I didn’t like were encouraged to ask me out because I was so "nice" to them.  And, of course I couldn’t say no – it seemed so "not nice."  I remember one frustrated admirer whom I found totally repugnant calling me late at night to demand that I tell him whether or not there was a chance for us.  It took all the courage I had to "nicely" say that although I found him almost irresistibly attractive, and would love to be his friend – gulp - "no."

When I became an adult I found myself on committees and Boards I had absolutely no interest in.  But it wouldn’t be "nice" to decline the invitation.  Declining would mean having to say the dreaded "no."  I kept employees on-staff despite their lack of any applicable skills, and spent hours listening to my parents’ German neighbor, Dr. Ludwig Von Feindershmaker, explain the neurological nuances of neoplastic diseases.  At least that one gave me the approval from my mother that I still crave:  "That was "nice" of you to listen to Ludwig for so long, dear."

Girls today don’t appear to be burdened at all with the overwhelming need to be "nice." They call each other the "B" word – to their faces!  They confront neighbors over unpaid babysitting fees, and turn boys down for dates without so much as an explanation of how much they admire them and would love to go out with them if only they hadn’t scheduled waxings for both weekend nights.

Some of it is good, of course. Their directness allows them more control of their own lives. They rely less on feedback from others and more on their own perceptions of their self-worth. They will waste far less time on people and events that don’t interest them. They will undoubtedly feel better about themselves for being true to who they really are. 

But wasn’t the world just a little more pleasant when girls said things like, "I'm so glad to see you," instead of "Yo, Bitchface?"  And isn’t there a possibility that you feel better about yourself if you make someone else feel good, instead of being a little too honest about how you feel about them? 

Like everything in life – there should be a happy medium. We should be allowed to say "no" without worrying that someone won’t like us.  And we should be able to be true to ourselves without stomping on someone else’s feelings. But we never ever do anything in moderation.  If the pendulum swings too far to the left, it simply has to swing back too far to the right.  So, as direct and abrasive as young girls seem today, we would have to assume that their daughters will be more like we were as girls.  That will be nice.

Little People

Last month I met with my "Hollywood agent" to discuss the future of Well Past 50 as a mainstream TV show.  “I love it,” she gushed over a glass of very freshly squeezed orange juice.  “This is the right audience; the right time…I think it can really be big.”

“Great,” I’m sure she noticed the surprise on my face. I had thought it would be harder than this. In fact, I found myself beginning to doubt her credibility. “What do we need to do next?”

“We just need a hook. A gimmick. Producers are looking for shows that are wrapped in something unique. Have you seen 10 Years Younger?  They pick women off the street, put them in a soundproof display case and ask passersby to critique them and guess their ages. They tell them what people said about them and they’re, of course, devastated. Then they have a squad of doctors and dentists make them look ten years younger. Something like that.”

I stared blankly into her 50 plus face.  “Do you really think that’s what boomer women want to watch?”

“That’s ALL I watch,” she said without a hint of embarrassment.  “That’s what sells.  Look at Little People Big World about a family of little people, or Black, White where a white family is transformed into a black family and vice versa.  It’s what people want to see.”

“So I should transform myself into a black person and get a little person as co-host?”

“Now you’re being silly. Just come up with a gimmick that will make the networks want it.”

So this is Hollywood. If I want to help women my age deal with the changes in their bodies, their marriages, their friendships and their spiritual growth, I need a gimmick.  I flew back to the security of the Midwest, where people prefer seeing black people being black people, and white people being white people. Or am I wrong?  Am I the only boomer woman who thinks reality TV insults our intelligence and, worse yet, insults most of the people who appear on these shows?

But then, 30 years ago, when my self-promoting banker friend suggested I adopt a flower as my brand and use it everywhere – a rose on my lapel, a rose on my letterhead, rose colored lipstick– I thought it was silly.  Maybe he was right.  Maybe all these years I could have been so much more successful if people heard my name and instantly wondered what in the world my rose fetish was all about.

And maybe if I interviewed aging experts inside a soundproof display case with a group of little people critiquing us, I’d have a successful show on my hands. Are there any little people reading Well Past 50 who want to be a star?  If so, contact my agent.

2006 TOP TEN ‘GOOD NEWS’ LIST

At Well Past 50, our goal is to share the good news that impacts those of us who have hit the magic age of 50. Whether it’s new or new-again, beauty tips, health tips or keeping sex an important part of our lives, we aim to cover it all.

After reviewing information shared with you in 2006, we picked what we felt were our most important findings - whether for just good fun or for sustained good health - and we made up a Top 10 list. Simply click on each article link for all the details and enjoy! And, please don’t be shy about adding your comments. Well Past 50 is about you and we value your opinion and experience. Hoping your 2006 was a year of peace, good health and joyful living and that 2007 will be more of the same. Continue watching Well Past 50 to provide all that’s new for beauty and being for the best years of life. Happy Holidays!

10. Simple stuff made good and easy Turn down the power of your hairdryer? Sit down without using your hands? Sometimes the most unlikely daily activities can be the difference in improved health. Sleep on Your Back and Other Tips will lead you through some common sense changes to your daily routine that may make you feel and look better.

9. Great rubs – better brains
Anyone that’s ever had a massage will probably attest to the near-drooling affect it creates as your muscles loosen up and tension takes leave of your body. There’s more: A massage can also alleviate depression and make us more mentally alert. The Healing Benefits of Massaging even discusses how cancer patients can find relief from their pain through this addictive pleasure.

8. Good food that’s good for you
Decadent eating just does it for me.  I love to bypass the veggies for the nuts and candies and now I can feel better about doing just that!  Choose Cashews! will point you to the healthy benefits of those big, fat, sweet/salty treats. It doesn’t say that we can eat the whole cache, and I know the veggie tray is still the healthiest stop on the hors d’oeuvres tour – but this is a nutty little light in the darkness of my dieting life.

7. Foods that battle Alzheimer’s
I doubt that there are any of us in the 50+ family that does not have at least a passing fear of the dreaded affects of Alzheimer’s. Some are probably already experiencing this either within their families or, perhaps, even perceived symptoms within themselves.  The fear is there and it’s a legitimate one.  Brain Food: Tips to Preserve Your Mental Power provides some really good information on five ‘brain foods’ that can help fend off this horrid disease.  Read the article and follow the link contained within it for additional info.

6. Get your groove back
I greatly enjoy the intimacy and physical rewards of sex with my husband. I hope this continues but I’m not blind to the changes that are taking place in all parts of my life as I age. Sex Drive in High Gear with Hormone Replacement Therapy is an article that offers some helpful information for the changes that do take place in this area of our lives. Interesting!

5. Chubby is good
How can you beat that headline?  Here’s how. The Chubbier the Better! shares information from David Lipschitz, MD, PhD who tells us “individuals who are 10% to 15% above their ideal body weight tend to have the best chance of a long and independent life.”  ‘Tho we’ve never met – I think I could love this man.  He’s not talking obesity here, but it helps to know that model-skinny can look good but when it comes to being healthy – hey, I’m on track.  After all – he’s the Doctor!

4. That special ingredient.  (It may not be #1 but it’s my favorite) –
If you are of the belief that eating greasy, salty, fatty foods may not be in the best interest of your heart and waistline (reference #5) – then I’m sorry for you.  Okay, okay – you may be right – but, please don’t miss reading The Secret of Longevity.  It’s a tale of a wonderfully sweet and very active 83-year-young lady who has a special way of cooking that not only makes everything taste wonderful but we’re wondering.... She’s 83 and her husband is 85 and she’s cooked up food with a special ingredient throughout their married life.  Could it be the secret of their longevity?  Something’s working - I’d like to think this might be it.

3. Men say sex gets better after 50…and they mean with us
This has got to be good news, right?  Men and Woman Agree: Sex is Better After 50 provides a link to some very good information. Primarily, it tells us that 50+ men are discovering such things as the joy of intimacy with their wives that comes with an empty nest and the privacy that now abounds.   There’s something here for everyone who considers that sex is still an important part of their life – or want it to be, again.

2. Dark chocolate and red wine – a heart healthy combination
Researchers discovered flavonoids in chocolate and started recommending that we add a half ounce of dark chocolate to our diet every day.  Now there’s a doctor’s order that I can follow! And, with an abundance of reservatrol in red wine, you can actually stabilize blood glucose levels by adding a couple of glasses to your daily routine.  Both of these tips do come with a suggestion of moderation. My New Health Regimen: Wine and Chocolate serves up some other good tips, as well.  Go ahead and grab a glass of red wine, a handful of dark chocolate chips and dig into the Well Past 50 website.  You probably should wait if you’re at work, though.

And…the #1 Best News of 2006….
1.     Friends – the best news of all
We treasure them as trusted confidantes; shoulders to cry on, arms to lean on, ears that listen and smiles that light up our lives.  They’re our friends.  And the best news of all is that these same people that laugh and cry with us are good for our health!  The Friendship Prescription shares that spending time with friends releases a calming hormone called oxytocin.  So, don’t waste anymore time on false promises of getting together.  Do it!  There will come a day when those special people that have shared so much of our good times and bad – won’t be here, anymore.  Seize the day!

Back to the Nest

Countless tears have been shed by parents (mainly, Mothers) as they've watched their sons and daughters pull away from the curb in vehicles jammed with  clothes, books, food, computers, CDs, etc. - the trappings of their life as they grew up in your home.  They're off to college, a job in another part of the country or maybe just into their "own place" across town.

How are they ever going to make it on their own?  Good question.  Many do quite well, actually, dropping in for an occasional school holiday or summer vacation,  laundry call or to pack away some of the world's best cooking - Mom's. 

They're now on their own until they pick a mate and set up their own family nest - or, are they?  According to information provided in AARP Magazine, since 1970 the number of adults ages 25 - 34 living in a parent's home has grown by more than 50%, to 39 million-and, on average, parents are spending an inflation-adjusted 13 percent more on their grown offspring.  For many parents this additional financial burden means postponing retirement, raiding savings accounts and even taking on debt to help their kids. 

In her book co-authored with Susan Morris Shaffer, Mom, Can I Move Back in With You?, Psychotherapist, Linda Perlman Gordon, describes this phenomenon as adultescence - they're no longer children but they're not quite adults.

There are many factors that serve to drive young people back to the nest - entry level salaries that have not kept up with inflation, the high price of buying a home created by a booming housing market, a pile of student loans and - for many - big credit card debt that started when banks offered them the plastic privilege at age 18.  Card balances average $5,000 for 24-to 34-year-olds today and, with escalating interest rates, there's little chance of that getting paid off anytime soon.

Whatever the reason for these young adults returning home, most parents are willing to help,  but there are are smart ways of doing so  without getting yourself into trouble, as well. 

• Be proactive.  Ask questions and get a full picture of the financial issues involved.
• Let the child put together a proposal.  If a financial bailout is necessary, agree on goals and deadlines for achieving those goals. 
• Be prepared to say "no".  It's good to help them get by but they need to learn to make sacrifices to get their financial life back on track. 
• Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Counselors and financial planners are around for the purpose of looking at the big picture without being emotionally involved.  There may be additional problems that need to be addressed such as an addiction or children of their own.

All of this can be painful, expensive and worrisome.  But, with open lines of communication, these situations can be overcome.

Facing Fears

When I was 23 the world was one giant adventure. I didn’t mount my horse hoping I wouldn’t fall off and break my wrist, I mounted my horse ready to gallop full-throttle across a pasture that could very well be hiding the gopher holes that kept me riding at a controlled trot. I don’t remember being afraid of anything at 23. Nothing could hurt me, and if it did I would heal.

I haven’t become a fearful old lady – yet. But I find myself considering things that once seemed unnecessary, like getting flu shots, and throwing away jars in the fridge that are two or three years past their expiration date.

Not only do we tend to heed the warnings we ignored in our youth, we begin to realize how little we know about this new generation of fashion, dialogue and TECHNOLOGY! Most of all, technology. If I didn’t have a fifteen year old daughter my IPod would still be resting safely in its box next to my nightstand after three years of ownership. Like my Personal Digital Assistant, which has not assisted me in any way since my husband bought it for me when Palm Pilots first hit the marketplace, I’m still waiting for it to get out of its box, sense my needs and start assisting.

I don’t know why we become more fearful with age. Maybe because by now we have known kids who put their eyes out when they ran with sticks. We’ve seen friends suffer from dog bites, car accidents, food poisoning, pneumonia, and all the things we thought our parents were making up to keep us from having fun. And the new fashions, dialogue and technology came after we had spent years feeling totally in control of a lifestyle that appeared to be permanent. What a cruel surprise change is.

Well, the surprise is over. WE know it’s happening to us and we can do something about it. We can face our fears. While I don’t advocate galloping full-throttle across a pasture or eating the mayonnaise with the green tinge to it, we can do things that will keep us from pulling deeper and deeper inside ourselves, fearing more and more of the new and unknown.

My friend, Lynne learned to fly at 54. Eileen went back to school to get her doctorate in Instructional Design. I’m not ready to commit to something as ambitious as they did, but, something as insignificant as learning to program your DVR can open doors that may lead to exciting adventures-  such as buying something on ebay or customizing your ring tone.

We want to hear about your fears.Tell us and we’ll find someone to help you overcome them. We’ll teach you how to download tunes to your IPod or send your kids a text message. It will convince them you’re suffering from yet another mid-life crisis.

Read Lynne’s story below and find something that will start you on the road to facing your fears!

Where Is Your Thrill?

How often do any of us find an activity that gets our adrenaline going and pulse racing along with a strong dose of fear? From time to time you hear of some eighty year old jumping from a plane (with parachute) and gliding through the clouds or bungee jumping from a building. Why at 70 or 80 are these people doing this? Why are they risking a broken hip or broken anything at that age? They’ve lived their lives, experienced a multitude of experiences, come on, give it up! Go sit down, be content with your past and veg for the next decade or so.

Hurray for these courageous people! I believe they do it for a couple of very sound reasons. First, because they feel time is running out and it is best do that activity now or forget it. Secondly, I’m wondering if they want that rush again to feel alive, to be excited or even scared.

Up until several months ago, I just went along with my little life, working, cooking, occasional nights out with friends, just a normal existence. I would do things for myself that I enjoy, play golf, dance, travel and every couple of weeks pampered myself with a manicure, pedicure, and once in a while, completely indulged myself with a massage. That existence changed drastically when my brother asked me if I would be interested in taking co-pilots lessons so he could fly longer distances and have someone to take over piloting when he was tired, or heaven forbid, something happened to him while in flight. Gladly I went along with this with no expectations other than being able to spend time with him and enjoy each others company. I have always loved to fly, commercially, and honestly had no fear about going forth with this plan. My biggest concern was that with hardly any estrogen left in this body, I couldn’t retain or learn anything new.

To my surprise, this experience has been exhilarating, exciting and downright frightening. It is reminiscent of looking down the side of mountain when I learned how to ski and thinking to myself this is way too steep I can’t possibly get down there. Or the fear I felt on the roller coaster that turns you upside down through a loop. I forgot how great it feels to get that adrenaline rush.

Each time my lesson is done I feel so incredibly alive!! My heart is racing; I’m giddy with excitement and can’t wait until the next time. I find it absolutely thrilling to control this small twin-engine miracle. Oddly it also seems to be somewhat freeing. Of what I’m not quite sure, but I do know that it has been a joy to revisit this overwhelming emotion.

I feel now I understand the thrill seekers, applaud their courage and hope that some of you try a new experience, something kind of scary for you, to get that blood flowing again, feel alive and exhilarated.

We need to keep finding new and exciting adventures no matter what our age. Let’s face it, at some point our health will be an issue and taking full advantage of our good health while we still have time, seems to be a pretty good idea.