“Your father is very sick.” This is not what you want to hear from your parent’s oncologist, but precisely why I was by my father’s side at his appointments. The coldest days of winter 2017 were also the darkest days, as I was living in fear my father,… Continue reading
When you think about downsizing your home and relocating, there’s a word that probably comes to mind: yecch. The process can be time-consuming, agonizing, frustrating and just plain sad. But, as the new public television series The Legacy List shows (c… Continue reading
The day my mother gave me a journal to help me cope with my grandmother’s suicide undoubtedly changed my life forever. That seemingly benign gesture, when I was 10, laid the groundwork for my life as a writer. Following this continuum, and after a seri… Continue reading
When Kathy Pauss retired from her job as a school secretary a few months before turning 65, the Downers Grove, Ill. resident thought it was for good. She was looking forward to gardening, spending time with her grandson and getting to a long list of pr… Continue reading
For many of us, denial plays a key role in how we view aging. While this is significant in its own right, it becomes even more telling when viewed from the standpoint of a recent Next Avenue article by Paul Hogan, chairman and co-founder of Home Instea… Continue reading
You’re probably familiar with the idea of a work sabbatical: a paid leave, usually from one month to a year, often to study or travel. But what about a soulbbatical? Never heard that word? It’s OK. Shelley Paxton, author of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Re… Continue reading
Remember those exhausting, yet sometimes exhilarating, moments at college arguing over life’s existential questions with fellow students? What am I going to do with my life? How can we make a difference? Was Einstein right that God doesn’t play with di… Continue reading
If you have a pet, you undoubtedly take steps to be sure he or she is cared for if you go on vacation. And you even may have written into your will or trust who should be responsible for your pet after your death. But too few older owners plan for the … Continue reading
The start of a new year is when many of us ask ourselves what lies ahead personally, professionally and financially. We happily hang a colorful 2020 calendar, jot down birthdays, upcoming vacations, and other future events. My guess is, however, you do… Continue reading
As someone who has been writing and editing personal-finance stories for over four decades, I have a few idols in my field. At the top of the list is Jane Bryant Quinn. So, I was delighted to have the chance to ring her up in Rome, where Quinn and her … Continue reading