There’s a phrase most of us have heard our entire lives: “Just be strong. You’ll bounce back.” It’s meant kindly. But by the time you’ve lived six decades, you already know something that phrase refuses to acknowledge. Some experiences don’t leave you unchanged. And they’re not supposed to…

I am a firm believer in the adage that an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” when it comes to my health. That’s why I usually don’t wait for symptoms to tell me whether I need to do something to take better care of myself…

If you’ve ever wondered, “We’re close… so why doesn’t my grandchild tell me what’s really going on?” you’re not alone. Many grandparents feel quietly hurt when they learn something important later – through parents…

Do you remember doing calisthenics in your gym class? You might recall the part where you had to try to touch your toes by bending over from a standing position or while sitting on the floor with your legs extended…

You did everything right. You noticed something in your body. You researched it. You came prepared with questions. And your doctor shut you down in under a minute. “That’s just normal aging.” “There’s no evidence for that.” “I wouldn’t worry about it.”

For much of my life, I believed confidence meant keeping my emotions in check. Stay calm. Don’t let them see you sweat. Push through. Many women of our generation were taught this early on. We learned to be capable, composed, and reliable – often at the expense of our inner lives…

The holidays have a way of bringing everything to the surface. The joy, the memories, and sometimes, the ache of what’s missing. For many women, being cut off from an adult child feels…

By the time you reach 60, you’ve buried people you love. Maybe your best friend from college. Maybe siblings, parents, the person you thought you’d grow old with. And with those losses often comes something harder to name: a deep loneliness, even when you’re surrounded by family…

I was 60 when I realized the words I used with my son weren’t mine. They were my mother’s. And before that, my grandmother’s. Three generations saying “stop crying” when feelings got big. Three generations of kids learning emotions weren’t safe. I’d spent 40 years as a healthcare…

I can still remember how excited I was when I got my driving license. In addition to giving me an enormous sense of pride and independence, it also was tangible proof that I was now really a “grown up” with all the rights and privileges…