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…

I broke up with my therapist recently. That sounds a bit dramatic. What I mean is that I ended a formal relationship with a talk therapist I’d been seeing fairly regularly over the past few years. And, like all break-ups – I felt incredibly sad afterwards…

What is it that makes children overflow with confidence in their ability to do whatever it is they imagine? When did we replace our confidence with insecurity? How do we get back our confidence as we age through life and living?

Today I enjoyed one of those rare mid-August days when the sting of summer heat and humidity have almost disappeared, and there is a hint of autumn in the air. Despite the signs of summer drawing to a close…

You are often faced with deciding whether what you’ve got is good enough. Does nothing less than perfection satisfy you? Do you only give yourself permission to act when all the stars are aligned? This could be in business, romance…