Guest Post

As lifespans continue to lengthen, it is inevitable that people will have the opportunity to do more. It is also likely that they will need to work longer. This will likely lead to the emergence of new life stages, as happened with teenagers and retirees which were both 20th century creations.

"She may never walk or talk again.." Those were the words of the brain surgeon when discussing options for my girlfriend.

Our dog Magnificent had a rough go of it after the birth of our son. This whiny and smelly new creature—whom we endearingly call Shep—was interesting to him at first, and Magnificent steadfastly tended to his every cry and kept close guard whenever anyone new ventured near him.

So Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King would have been 93 years today had he not been assassinated. As an African-American woman raised in California at a particular time, I grew up, first noticing, then celebrating the legacy of the renowned civil rights, global peace advocate and spiritual-faith based leader.

Why is it that our culture creates so many words and expressions that under the surface is masked ageism? In turn, we internalize those words and place limitations on ourselves.

The power of the “Modern Elder” paradigm is that those of us 40 and older are entering fertile new territory, building on years of life and career experience to stay interconnected, adding value to the world.

I've been Cocooning as of late, still working and experiencing two of my adult childrens' weddings (all in the last 12 weeks) but setting tighter boundaries so I could fully feel the joy without distraction. I still feel the chaos and change in and around me but have placed myself in a protective virtual shell by reducing my digital connections, getting enough rest, and keeping my head clear.

I have spent my entire life feeling like an impostor. As a kid, we moved around a few times from country to country, culture to culture and I became adept at fitting in wherever I was.

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a week in Hawaii on our major family trip. While staying in a hotel on Waikiki Beach, we witnessed an explosive fire from one block away. It was abrupt and quick, with thick, velvety black smoke covering the sky and falling onto the aqua blue water. (You can see my tweet with video here.)

As I stepped into the Mission Church at Santa Clara University a few weeks ago to honor the life of a popular, long-time campus leader who passed away recently, I found myself swept up in a vivid memory of this splendid Bay Area college campus, the oldest in California.