Jews around the world this week came together with others in their local Jewish community to pray on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. As I sat in synagogue on Monday, I realized how powerful it is that we are free to do that in the US, without fear. Older adult after older adult shuffled…
DetailsOh the stories you’ll hear! This past Saturday they came to Deerfield IL from Madison, WI. My son, his wife and my grandchildren Merete and Aiden. My granddaughter Katie and her boyfriend Lance came up from Chicago. My lady friend, Felice, was there too The chatter over lunch and dinner was rich, lively and full…
DetailsI have a great group of guys with whom I get together every Friday morning. You may have seen us…well, not exactly us, but that group of retirees you see at the diner once a week. We talk, we laugh, we kvetch. Then, last week, one of the guys suggested, “Next Friday, let’s talk about…
DetailsSteve and Diane Brogan were recently retired and building their dream home in a beautiful wooded area in New England, centrally located between their two adult children and their three grandchildren, ages 12 to 16. They had visions of family holidays and shared activities and more. Until Diane discovered she was allergic to trees. “We…
DetailsMoms Demand Action Grandparent Unit Meeting At 90, I’m not one to stay still when something is on my mind. I want to help where I can and connect to others who also are concerned. I’m a proud grandpa of six grandchildren and one great grandchild. I’ve been very afraid and anxious about my grandchildren…
DetailsGone are the days of baking cookies or making crafts together. Although going out together for ice cream never goes out of style. My grandchildren are now 16 to 36. It’s not something to lament. As they get older their minds grow and their world of ideas expands exponentially. I love talking to them about…
DetailsGrandparents often ask me, “How will I be remembered?” They know that they can leave valuables, but things can be lost, discarded or no longer considered valuable. A legacy of values, however, can guide grandchildren in their daily life, school, friendship, family relationships. A value such as kindness becomes integrated into the being of the…
DetailsOne of the guys from our Friday morning coffee klatch (actually, we men call it a “guys group”) pulled me aside to let me know why he would not be there next Friday. “I’m going to Scottsdale to see my granddaughter in her school play.” Of course I liked the part where he added “because…
DetailsThrough the many years that I’ve been listening to grandparents share their hopes and dreams, their regrets and fears, the word “legacy” is one that comes up over and over. It’s a word that carries much weight and many meanings. Most of us, of course, are concerned about our legacy in its most tangible manifestation:…
DetailsAt 80ish I wrote a chapter for a book, 80 Things to Do When you Turn 80. The chapter was titled “Life is an Adventure. In it I talked about meeting my wife Margaret and our long life together, and on writing a book and rebuilding my life after she passed. The theme for that…
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