One Hero in a Community of Mothers

by Andrea Lynn

In my life, there are many mothers I respect and admire. Friends, family, colleagues, even strangers. Mothers I see in the world doing the right thing with children, showing small kindnesses, endless patience, needed discipline. Moms who have faced huge obstacles, small tragedies, who started their journeys late or in roundabout ways. But heroic mothers? I only know one, and I don’t know her well. She is a midlife mother, in her 50s, and attends the same church as I do. I know her because our congregation has adopted her cause as ours — emergency foster care of the youngest children in our city. […]

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words for mothers: yesterday, today and tomorrow

by Rachel Snyder

Here are three pages from my book, 365 Words of Well-Being for Mothers (Contemporary/McGraw-Hill, 2003), which, alas, is currently out-of-print and generally available only in used or remainder copies. My own mother has taken up fragile residence in between worlds: here but not here, there but not there. She can’t express whether she remembers who any of us are, though I like to believe that in her deepest heart, she will never forget.

I always liked the thought that there are two kinds of people on the planet: those who are mothers — and those who have mothers. Whether you are one or the other or both, you may find resonance within these words. […]

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The Healing Power of Olive Oil

by Barbara Hannah Grufferman

(Dear Reader, I stumbled on this post having recently discovered the incredible power of olive oil, myself. In fact, I swear by it. I eat it and use it in a multitude of ways. So does Barbara. So, after contacting her, we discovered a clearcut connection. This is the first of what we hope will be many of her writings about over-50 living.)

Interesting fact about turning 50: Things change surprisingly fast.

For example, everything’s just a tad bit … drier. My hair, skin, eyes and, umm, other places, too. […]

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Midlife: What Goes Down Must Come Up

by Vivian Diller

When Obama turned 50 in August, warring political parties and world leaders paused to congratulate him. Thousands of fundraisers in his hometown of Chicago sung “Happy Birthday,” and his two daughters left summer camp for Camp David for a more intimate celebration. But among the outpouring of well wishes were warnings too. Turning the big 5-0, he was told, meant that things would go downhill from there — as if he didn’t have bigger downturns to worry about! […]

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Sweet Dreams at Daylight Savings Time

by Peg O'Neill, M.D.

Sleep is a hot topic in my world.

As a pediatrician, I spend a good part of my time talking to people about it; whether I am helping parents of newborns hang in there during those early sleep-deprived days, or talking to teenagers about why it’s so important to get as much shuteye as possible, whether it’s a well visit or a sick visit, the subject of sleep is usually lurking somewhere in the conversation about staying physically and emotionally healthy.   The importance of good sleep is a constant across all age categories.  The more you sleep the better.  The less you sleep, the more likely you are to feel crummy, whether you are a sleep-deprived fussy infant or a cranky toddler who needs a nap, or an ornery, stressed adolescent who doesn’t get to bed early enough.  If you are sleep deprived, whether you are a kid or a parent, you are more likely to be crabby.  If you are sleep deprived, you are more vulnerable to illness.  There are studies which back this up.  The less you sleep, the lousier you feel, in general.  And the more you sleep, the better you feel.  […]

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How I Overcame My Fear of Being Mistaken for Grandpa

Len Filppu

About 11 years ago, my wife and I joined another pregnant couple for a snack after our pre-natal class.  They were a typical demographic of this class… young, bright-eyed and fresh, unwrinkled, unworn and eager to learn what lay ahead in parenthood.  Their youth and enthusiasm unnerved me because I was then 49 years-old and facing fatherhood for the first time.  I ordered coffee and cherry pie a la mode.  […]

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The Grandma Syndrome: Uh-Oh, Is it Starting? (A Halloween Post)

by Cyma Shapiro

I’ve withstood the ravages of time:  I have not yet been called “Grandma,” am still courted by those younger than I, and I still do not get the looks that others often get (“others” with gray hair, wrinkles, and sagging bodies).  So far, I’m sitting like the Cheshire Cat, grinning from ear-to-ear about my little dirty secret. (You know, the one about my real age).

However, I do believe that it is all about to change. (Uh-OH!) […]

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Freezing My Eggs – III (Part V of V)

by MeiMei Fox

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

Yesterday I was describing to a wise older friend my emotional ups and downs of the past month as I’ve gone through the process of freezing my eggs. 

“There have been many times in the five years that have passed since my divorce when I felt like a failure for not having a family of my own,” I told her. “This egg freezing process has forced me to confront the self-doubts that have hung around in the shadows: ‘What’s wrong with me? I screwed up. I’m a loser for being 37 and childless and alone.’ […]

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