A few years ago, my writing partner, Lillie Evans, and I were notified that our full-length play script, Grandmothers, Incorporated won a playwriting competition. Our work was selected from over 600 submissions from 33 countries. Nobody could tell us that we weren’t hot stuff. We were ecstatic, on top of the world. We were also reluctant to tell people the name of the contest we won. It’s called the Old Lady Project…

Personal growth is great and is something that I want to continue doing for the rest of my life. I mean, who wants to become stagnant and stop growing? Have you heard the saying, ‘use it or lose it’? Well, that isn’t just geared towards our muscles; it’s also true of our wonderful brains. Just like our physical muscles, our mindset requires conscious practice to maintain and grow…

I want to ask you something that might be a little uncomfortable. When did you last ask yourself what you actually want? Not what your children need. Not what your grandchildren would enjoy. Not what would make the holidays easier or the family gathering run more smoothly or the situation with your adult…

As a young girl, I remember walking home from school as the evenings got dark and I would peer into the bright windows of the houses I passed along the way. I was fascinated and also felt a little lonely and envious for the lives that I saw reflected within. I marveled at the rooms where everything seemed perfect and manicured to such a degree that I felt the occupants could never have any problems in life…

After my husband Tom died in 2007, I remember how quickly the world seemed to move on. There were flowers, cards, casseroles, hugs, and kind words from people who truly cared. I was grateful for every gesture. In those early days, love often arrived in practical forms – a meal, a note, a hand on my shoulder, someone sitting quietly beside me when there were no words…

You applaud your friend Mary Jane’s exuberance as she describes her delight with her new-found hobby, tap-dancing. OK, she’ll never be Fred Astaire, but she’s thrilled at what she and her fellow tap students, not a one under 60, are accomplishing. You listen appreciatively as your sister-in-law waxes enthusiastic over the writing class she’s joined. How wonderful…

The other morning, I found myself listening to a song I hadn’t heard in quite a while. It was “Monsters” by James Blunt. The first time I heard that song years ago, it hit me like a freight train. Something about the sadness in the lyrics, the emotion in his voice…

Have you ever met women whose scowls look so malevolent that rottweilers suddenly remember they had somewhere else to be? Even a rattlesnake would say, “Nope, not today,” and quietly slither away. What about that confident woman…

Have you ever noticed that as we get older, we tend to spend more time talking about what we’re losing instead of what we are gaining? The conversation often centers on wrinkles, retirement, slowing down, or staying relevant in a rapidly changing world. Everywhere we look, we’re encouraged to maintain our youth, preserve…

Remember when you were a little girl and pretended to be a princess? How did that feel? Perhaps confident, valued, visible, and more than enough. How would you describe it? Why don’t many of us feel like that now in our lives? Wouldn’t it be fun and inspiring to feel that way again? A friend recently…