Wednesday, January 29, 2020


A Question of Age
As they say, age is just a number. Depending on how you define age, of course.
            Children say: He’s old; he’s 30. Teens say: My dad’s old; he’s 50. Boomers say: She’s not old; she’s only 65. People in their 90s see those in their 70s as spring chickens. Perspective, Perspective. Perspective.
            Definition of sixty: sixteen with wrinkles. Think about it. The body may be aging but we  still feel much younger inside, don’t we?
            The man had the right idea when he said: I’m 63 now, but that's just 17 Celsius.
            Recently, I heard two women chatting as they waited in line next to me at the grocery store.  One of them told the other that her granddaughter was about to graduate from university. That prompted the remark: Already? The answer: Yes, but my son is older than me! Loved that remark. The woman winked and smiled ear to ear as she said it.
            Made me think of my answer when I was asked my birth date recently. I answered that I was born on January 1, 2000. That stopped the man in his tracks. He smiled but didn’t know how to handle it. After a moment I could tell that he realized I was not going to tell him my age, so he continued as if it was surely the right date.
            Did you hear about the man who wanted his wife to drive more carefully? He told her that if she had an accident, her age would be included in the news report.
            One of my sisters has always lied about her age. We siblings all know it and accept it. Outsiders are baffled. One day when asked her age by a cousin my sister simply replied: I really don’t know. I’ve been lying about it for so long that I really don’t know how old I am.
Not a bad idea if you ask me.
           As the saying goes, age is a quality of mind. If you no longer look ahead then you’re old, but if from life you take the best, no matter how the birthdays fly, you are not old.
           A wise man I know says, you’re only as old as you think you are, so forget the number and think of yourself as chronologically gifted.
           I try to do just that, but I’m getting much too gifted much too fast!






Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Ah, Weather!
No matter where we live most of us have suffered through a blast of winter recently, some more serious than others. In my world, I know it’s ridiculously cold when I see heavy mist coming off the lake near my house. I know it is time to don lined pants and a heavy scarf that can cover most of my face if I don’t want to end up with frostbite.
I’ve encountered many harsh winters over the years. Of course nothing like the coldest winter day on record in North America which occurred on February 3, 1947 when the temperature in the Yukon reached an impressive -81.4F. While cold snaps never surprise me that doesn’t mean that I don’t long for spring. I tell myself it’s almost here, after all more than half of January is already behind us. Then February will be a short month as we rush toward March, the harbinger of spring, when we can rejoice in warmer temperatures.
But we hope the good weather of the following months will not become so hot that we can’t breathe.
The weather has always been a perennial subject of conversation however it seems to me that it is more and more on most people’s mind now that we know climate change is indeed a reality. The proof is all around us: from almost impossible to extinguish forest and bush fires that consume vegetation and fauna to floods and hurricanes that destroy lives. Yet, there are still some who do not believe the scientists and their dire warnings choosing to hide their heads in the sand!
Of course, climate change non-believers would argue that temperatures have always oscillated between very cold and uncomfortable heat and that weather disasters have always been with us. Perhaps, but they forget that climate disasters have become increasingly severe and more and more frequent and that the temperature of our poor planet is breaking records.
And we’ve all seen pictures of the melting polar icecaps. 
Like most grandparents I’m sure, the state of our world frightens me for my grandchildren who will surely have to live with more and more climatic uncertainty as the earth warms up. Of course, the ray of hope is that all nations are trying to make quick strides to find avenues that will begin to heal our suffering planet.
A younger friend of mine has little hope this can happen in his lifetime, but I believe all of us, including our leaders, are becoming more and more motivated to negate the damage of the past one hundred years. That’s it, isn’t it? The major changes in our lifestyles have come to be only in the last century or so. I’m talking about the availability of non-renewable fuels, cars, aircrafts, plastics and so forth are all recent things in comparison to the history of the world. It has made life easier for humans but the cost has been enormous.
As I see it, we can only begin to repair the damage by improving our respect for Mother Earth and reverse our way of thinking. Just because innovations in all aspects of our lives are appearing at a faster and faster rate does not mean that they must all be embraced overnight. Newer is not better when it damages our fragile world.
But humans are visionary. Let’s hope that efforts like electric cars and aircraft fuel coming from food waste, among others, will become the new norm.
The future of our grandchildren depends on it.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Living Longer
We all get older, but some do it faster than others. The idea should be to make the most of every day, to be involved in life because research shows it has a direct impact on quality of life and longevity.
Aging need not be negative. In fact, those who have a more positive view of aging live some seven years longer than those with a negative outlook, according to a Yale University study. 
     Here are some of my personal tips for aging well:
      Try new things as often as you can
      Find satisfaction in your endeavors and your abilities 
      Keep only cheerful friends 
      Keep learning so the brain doesn’t idle 
      Enjoy the simple things and joys of life, i.e. family, friends, pets
      Laugh often, long and loud, and spend lots and lots of time with those who make you laugh
      Enjoy life to the fullest, and when tears happen (which they do) grieve and move on
      In your home, surround yourself with what you love, whatever it is: mementos, music, plants 
      Cherish your health: if it is good, preserve it, if it is unstable improve it or get help
      Give back through volunteering which is a source of satisfaction while being good for your health 
      Don’t take guilt trips (they are a waste of time) 
      At every opportunity, tell those you love that you love them
      Forgive now because you might not get a second chance 
      Dance at every opportunity for the health of your body and spirit 
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle 
Be aware of your mortality because it fuels positive behaviors such as kindness and helpfulness as well as better health decisions.
            And, even if your children chide you for eating dinner early, pay them no mind. Many studies have shown that eating dinner early and fasting for 12 hours could be the secret to long-lasting brain health and improved memory function.
In short, laugh, keep busy and eat early. Nothing difficult about that, is there?



Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Where Does Time Go!
I think we’ve all said that at some point or other after being so engrossed in what we were doing that we lost track of time. However, over the holidays when using that expression people were referring to the year just ending as they assessed how quickly the last twelve months have sped by.
            Imagine how short a year will be for a set of twins born a year apart on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2020. One a few minutes before midnight and the other a few minutes after midnight. Won’t that be fun when they get older? Twins born a year apart! Actually a decade apart!
            Because we are entering a new decade this year we are made aware, more than ever, of how so very quickly years and even decades melt away. Like you I certainly remember very clearly when we entered a new century full of fear and hope some twenty years ago now. Yet it doesn’t seem that long ago, does it? The talk about Y2K was a source of anxiety for anyone who had a computer, but especially for large businesses such as banks and airlines. Everyone was worried that the world would basically stop working because of the numbers in 2000. Too many zeros? I remember being at a party on the last day of 1999 when we all waited for the stroke of midnight and the damage we would all be facing. Yet, 2000 arrived and the world continued working without even a burp, and innovations have continued marching on at greater and greater speed ever since.
            Many people I talked to over the holidays agreed that 2020 came much faster than they anticipated. I think we are all a bit surprised when a new year rolls around and we have to get used to a new number. And we do, however when entering a new decade it gives us pause, does it not? More than one number changes and we have to make certain we use the right year on our documents.  It also makes us clearly aware that time stops for no one. We are all older. 
However, I was surprised to hear one of my granddaughters remark that she can’t believe how old she is getting!
            Kid, wait till you reach a respectable age as my mother used to say, then we’ll talk about the passage of time.
            To all of you who read my blog, Happy New Year, Happy New Decade.