Finding Happiness

What I remember best about my friend is her playfulness. She was one of the few adults in my circle who really knew how to play. She enjoyed a long, fulfilling life despite many hardships along the way. I’ll always remember her joy and laughter…

As a woman over 70 who attended the 1977 National Women’s Conference, challenged her first employer for equal pay, dutifully wore sneakers with her suits while storming the halls of capitalism in the 1980s and later published as a feminist scholar…

I have a deep, unshakable affection for the movie Serendipity. Yes, the one with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in cashmere and cosmic confusion. Go watch it now. I’ll wait. Okay… isn’t it predictable and sappy, but irresistible? Bonus points if you tell me you watched…

My life mission statement includes living on purpose, so to just mindlessly respond to someone with a “fine” doesn’t seem intentional. I settled for “no complaints” as a purposeful response to the frequent question…

This phrase carries quiet power; like a stone placed just so on a sunlit windowsill or a single brushstroke on bare canvas. Georgia O’Keeffe lived by this principle, though she first learned it from Arthur Wesley Dow, her teacher who saw art not as imitation but as harmony…

Have you ever wondered why you are so hard on yourself at times? Have you wanted to explore something new, like joining a new group you’re interested in? It starts out with worry. You worry that you won’t be perfect…

Remember your 20s? Lots of fun, but lots of turbulence too, right? Especially in the romance department. Love and relationships in your 20s were often like having a mouth full of Pop Rocks. There was anticipation – “Will I like this or hate it?”

In this age of instant gratification, where a meal can be summoned with a tap on a screen, I often forget the simple pleasure of being in my kitchen. I find myself standing before the fridge, lost in the glow of its light, or bypassing the stove altogether, opting for the convenience…

Do people smile because they are happy? Or, are people happy because they smile? These questions get to the heart of life after 60. Of course, both statements are true. Smiles are a reflection of how we feel. But, at the same time, happiness requires conscious effort.

Sometimes big changes happen all at once, and it can be difficult to know which way to turn. There can be a multitude of paths in front of you. Which one to take? I was newly divorced and had just returned to the UK after living in France. I had no idea what I wanted…