I’ve had a blind faith in The Man Upstairs for a long time. I grew up small-town Catholic but knew little about the Bible. Catholics have Catechism, not Bible study. We did not have nuns. We were lucky to share a priest with a triangle…

Nothing in my life – barring news of the accidental death of my dad – has twisted me so much as the murder of my hair stylist. She was only 37 and a beautiful spirit. I met her about five years ago, when she was going through a divorce…

Recovering after a surgery, the doctor said the best thing I could do was get up and walk. I started walking way back when I quit smoking, mostly to keep the weight off. I enjoyed walking with my buddies in my old…

I signed divorce papers today, ending a 35-year commitment. It’s something I never thought I’d be: twice divorced. But at 60-something, I was looking at an unhappy last third of my life. I’ve been called selfish for choosing…

My 60th year has been the busiest of my life. Before it’s over, I will have moved twice, put the heat to a back-burner passion, refreshed important friendships, picked up a new musical instrument and increased my income by improving my habits. Read More

The older I get, the easier it is for me to change my mind and adopt new ideas. Some people get more set in their ways, saying things like, “I’ll never try online dating,” or, “I’d never take a dance class alone…”

Almost always, when we reach the other side of a difficult time, there’s a place we rest and say, “Whew, glad that’s over.” It might be a divorce, a battle with the IRS, a year of financial torture or intense grief…

An older friend of mine preaches, “Always see your next six steps.” It’s good advice, and I follow it when I’m rushing to catch a trolley or heading upstairs. But what about our next six steps in life?

I’m separating from the man I’ve been partners with since my 20s. The last few months have been very difficult. My living arrangements are unsettled, so my habits and routines are jumbled. Read More

When I turned 60, I knew for sure I wanted to live to at least 100.

I’ve been so busy the past 40 years with day to day details – earning a living, having a fun life, caring for my family. I hadn’t planned much for my future. I did quit smoking 20 years ago and started walking to counteract the weight gain. But other than that, aging isn’t something I’d thought much about. Read More