All around us, older women flourish in industry, entertainment, and politics. Do they know something that we don’t, or are we all just trying to figure it out? For so many of us, our hearts and minds still feel that we are twenty-something young women who can take on the world. But in our bodies, the flexibility and strength that were once taken for granted are far from how we remember them. … Every day we have to rise above the creaky joints and achy knees to earn the opportunity of moving through the world with a modicum of grace. Yet we do rise, because it’s a privilege to grow old, and every single day is a gift. Peter Pan’s mantra was “never grow up”; our collective mantra should be “never stop growing.” This collection of user-friendly stories, essays, and philosophies invites readers to celebrate whatever age they are with a sense of joy and purpose and with a spirit of gratitude.
more
True to its title, this really was A Delightful Little Book on Aging. But it’s also so much more. Reading it, I often felt like I was having tea with the author—our conversation ranged from aging, to gratitude, to creativity and living wholeheartedly, to friendship, laughter, and so much more. It’s a perfect book for these times, reminding us that spirit-based living can counter the daily news and that celebration is a form of activism.
This book really IS a delight to read or listen to! I thought I was aging gracefully by pretending I was not aging. Instead, A Delightful Little Book on Aging helped me see inevitable changes in a much more positive way and helped me counteract my inner voices that are not always so patient or accepting of my aging process. In the audio version, Stephanie Raffelock’s warm gentle voice soothes away self-doubts, fears and judgments about growing older with reassurance, encouragement, ideas, and reframing. She helps us not only acknowledge the losses, but see what we are gaining, or can reclaim, and her ideas are both practical and inspiring. The hardcover book or the audio would be a great gift for any Boomers or older, even those who don’t seem to have a problem with aging. We all need these reminders. I’m going to listen to it over and over.
Encouraging words for every mature person!!
An interesting perspective on aging
Enjoyed it!
This perfectly titled book totally delivers on it’s promise. It is delightful, a modifier not typically associated with its subject. Its premise of self-acceptance and permission to revel in the later stage of life, without judgment, is one that should become a daily mantra for anyone over fifty. The short booklet is a beautifully written assembly of writings from the author’s SixtyandMe.com blog and other publications. Together they offer a hopeful, wise and inspirational message. Brew a cup of tea, find a cozy chair, and read it in a single sitting. Then, keep it handy for a boost whenever you are negatively feeling your age, and it will remind you that, au contraire, this time is incomparable; full of wisdom that has been earned, joy that you deserve.
“The words in this book are about aging. None of us are in it alone. we are moving toward the sunset together, and on that horizon eternity lingers. May we all embrace living fully, with unabashed joy and appreciation for this path of transition.”
The minute I read those words in the Introduction, I knew this is a book I will read and then read again. I have not been embracing my own journey down this path of aging with joy and appreciation, and I welcome the wisdom and guidance the author has to offer.
And there’s plenty of it packed in this small volume.
This terrific little inspirational book is broken into four categories: Grief – that encourages us to look at the things that we are losing as we’re aging. Reclamation, that invites us to look at new opportunities that getting older brings us. Perhaps now that we’re retired, we can do some of those things we never seemed to be able to find time for when we were so busy with jobs and/or raising children and taking care of a household.
The next section covers Vision, and the author is clear that it is not about a list of goals. Rather, that section encourages us to practice being so fully engaged with life that we “develop a wiser soul filled with wonder and delight.”
The last section focuses on Laughter. Not only the chuckles accompanying a good joke, or a funny comedy show, but the kind that can come from looking back on our lives and being able to laugh at some of the things that perhaps had hurt us. The author writes, “Humor is the gentle chuckle of recognition and resolve.”
Looking back with humor helps take the sting out of past hurts and through the humor we are able to let go of the pain.
I wish this book had been available back when I worked as a chaplain in a fairly large medical complex. We had older people who were struggling with the aging process. We had people at the end of their life journey who were struggling because of past regrets. This book would have been so helpful for those clients, and I would have talked our pastoral care department into ordering tons of them.
Aptly titled, A Delightful Little Book on Aging lays out a joyful, thoughtful, easily applicable approach to handling the advancing years with dignity, grace, and gratitude. Ms. Raffelock wrote with so much wisdom, authority, and charm, I found myself highlighting numerous passages that resonated with me. By the time I finished reading, nearly the entire inside of the book was covered in light green color.
Full review is on my blog Carpe Diem Chronicles.