The older I get, the more I believe the adage “happiness is an inside job.” Life doesn’t seem to generously dish up the thrills and emotional highs it once did when I was part of a greater social scene and professional community. And in talking with my woman friends…

This morning, I walked out onto my lovely balcony garden with its potted plants and herbs alongside some colourful patio furniture. This small seating area with its stellar views has been my happy place during the hot summer months, and I’ve enjoyed many morning…

They say that time is a healer, but it is you who learns to heal, through time. You become a master of how to avoid the pain that seems to be in every cell in your body. You slowly learn that crying all day leads to constant headaches, fatigue…

Curiosity is one of the most powerful traits we can nurture, and it enriches our lives in countless ways. It’s that never-ending thirst for knowledge, the drive to understand more deeply, and the spark that keeps life interesting…

A friend who is 10 years younger than me and I have a running joke. Her mother sometimes disapproves of our joint outdoor adventures, so she will frequently say, “Mary Lou is old enough to know better,” all in a joking way. Recently, I arrived at a rural venue…

Once we pass 45 or 50, it often feels like the beginning of a slippery slope towards decline. Birthday cards telegraph that the best part of life is behind you. Anti-aging products are targeted at you. Articles point out how out of touch you’ve become…

I never thought about death much, other than as a concept, until my husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. Now, as I enter my 60th year, I’m very aware of the juxtaposition of life and death. It is simply impossible to have one without the other…

Other than time or money, what do I need more of? The question sat like a tired dog on the page. “I have everything I need and want,” was my self-satisfied answer. But a nagging little rain cloud tugged at my conscience. I always know…

One of the hallmarks of women “of a certain age” is a great need for autonomy. After a lifetime of catering to others’ needs in the realms of family and work, some women would fight to the death to preserve their autonomy when those yokes are removed…

Are you rushing through life, missing out on its beauty? Do you feel like it’s slipping by too quickly to savor its richness? Maybe you’re caught up in a whirlwind of problems and obligations or the monotony of mundane routines…