Diversity

I love the humanity of this author. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot is a MacArthur Prize-winning sociologist and Harvard professor. In this book titled “The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk and Adventure in the 25 Years after 50,” she writes, “We must develop a compelling vision of later life, one that does not assume a trajectory of decline after fifty but recognizes this as a time of potential change, growth and new learning, a time when our courage gives us hope.”

They say never trust a word with more vowels than consonants. “Truck,” “trick,” “trust.” These are solid words. You know what they mean. They give you confidence. But, “luau,” “utopia,” “aureola,” “uvula,” “anemone.” These tongue-twisting, vowel-loving words are challenging. Most of us avoid them like the plague for fear of sounding stupid.

After 20 years of working in the hospitality industry, having helped a global hotel chain become the well-respected brand it is today, I quit the job I loved.

Remember the Canadian rock band, BTO: Bachman-Turner Overdrive? Okay, I know I’m dating myself, not to mention revealing my unsophisticated high school music taste.

Chip: Language is funny. Well, that’s not too eloquent. Okay, language is illuminating. One of my closest friends for 35 years has been Gabriel Galluccio. While I’m struggling (and enjoying) learning a second language, Spanish, living in Mexico, Gabriel knew seven languages by the time I met him in San Francisco.

This is the second part of my interview with Elizabeth White, author of “55, Unemployed and Faking Normal: Your Guide to a Better Life”. If you missed the first part of the interview (posted yesterday), click here.

Chip: When I was writing “Wisdom@Work,” I had the good fortune of getting to know Elizabeth White, whose TED Talk from 2017 floored me. Then, I read her book entitled “55, Underemployed and Faking Normal: Your Guide to a Better Life” and I fell in love with her.

Uprising was planted into the soil of the United States of America. It seeps into the water, permeates the air, and is ultimately ingested by each body that feeds off its land. The moment of now is simply the result of a harvest planted over 400 years ago.To quell the rage, plant new seeds.

You don’t need to hear my voice today. You don’t need to hear Chip’s voice today. You need to hear the voices of black Americans. We all need to listen. And act.

One of our MEA alums said to me recently “brain overwhelmed, heart underprepared” for the past few months. And, that was before this past week’s unjust demise of George Floyd and the aftermath. Let’s do some wisdom “after-math.” Let’s recognize an intractable pattern of police racial abuse as evidenced in this Washington Post article.