This is my weekly email (#32) to the village's Aging Well special interest group.
Invitation: I warmly invite you to a Zoom meeting of the Aging Well SIG tomorrow (Sunday, October 18) at 4 pm. The question for discussion is: What aspects of your family history would you like to share with the group? If you'd like to send me your thoughts ahead of the meeting, I welcome and appreciate that. I will send out a report afterwards with everyone's contribution.
Thought: "Is the goal of medicine an indefinite extension of life...or simply a reasonably satisfactory success in coping with the problems of old age?" Daniel Callahan in his 1987 book Setting Limits: Medical Goals in an Aging Society, page 74
Conviction: "Successful aging involves meaningful aging, such as having a purpose in life, whether it is a job, a hobby, being a mentor, having connection to family, or a spiritual conviction." Psychology professor Alan Castel in his 2019 book Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging, page 169
Statistic: "Some research suggests that babies laugh up to 300 times a day, whereas adults laugh 20 times a day." Psychology professor Alan Castel in his 2019 book Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging, page 34
Poem:
Visit grandpa every chance that you can
It won't be a waste of time
Always stay humble and kind
... Don't take for granted the love this life gives you
When you get where you're goin'
Don't forget turn back around
Help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind
Songwriter Lori McKenna (this song became a hit for Tim McGraw)
Opinion:
"What day is it," asked Pooh.
"It's today," squeaked piglet.
"My favorite day," said Pooh.
--- A. A. Milne
Comment: "If we allow ourselves to live with the consciousness of death, it will enrich us by making us understand how precious life is." David Kessler in his 2019 book Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief, page 56
Quotation: "We seek not to become the perfect person, but to be the person we are meant to be." Drs. Henry Emmons and David Alter in their 2015 book Staying Sharp: 9 Keys for a Youthful Brain through Modern Science and Ageless Wisdom, page 239 (quoting Rabbi David Kominsky interpreting a Hasidic tale)
Aphorism: "The one thing parents can do for their children is live their lives as fully as they can, for this will open the children's imagination." Living an Examined Life: Wisdom for the Second Half of the Journey by James Hollis (Sent to me by Dick Jung. Thank you, Dick!)
Some things to take your mind off the news:
- And enjoy the following 10 cartoons and photos: