What the Press wrote about
Fifty Things To Do When You Turn Fifty
A collection of essays that are helpful, humorous, and encouraging could cause the market for black balloons to collapse!
Atlanta Journal Constitution
Its a great book to browse or read piecemeal. Highly recommended; sales of the book will be donated to cancer organizations.
Library Journal
It gives advice and tips about taking stock, taking action, or taking a break.
Newsday
This book is worth a thumb-through because its fun and a quick read and thats a plus because, as author Erica Jong points out in her essay, 50 is the time when time itself begins to seem short.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Those who want reassurance that 50 is the age at which you start reaping the benefits of your labors will find much to appreciate here.
Publishers Weekly
An upbeat answer to the over-the-hill gang.
Miami Herald
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The following essays are reprinted with permission of the publishers:
Go to where the art is (p. 105) is an excerpt from We Flew Over The Bridge: Performance Art, Story Quilts, and Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, 2005 Duke University Press, and is reprinted with permission. Rediscover yourself at 60 (p. 291) is an excerpt from Moving Beyond Words by Gloria Steinem, copyright 1994 by Gloria Steinem and is reprinted with permission from Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group. Credits continued on .
eISBN: 978-1-4162-0704-7
Sixty Things to Do When You Turn Sixty 2011 Sellers Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form, by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without the express written permission of Sellers Publishing, Inc. e-books.
September 2011
Contents
S ECTION O NE
Get Back (The Beatles, 1969)
Be a grouchGarrison Keillor
Ignore those studies that tout the benefits of a positive outlook. Being stubborn and righteously angry is whats going to give you staying power!
Take off your clothesCynthia Thayer
When you are 60, of course you can wear purple or else nothing at all!
Let it goDaniel J. Benor, M.D.
Dont let unpleasant memories bog you down. This release technique is safe and requires no more than the skill of tapping your hands and feet!
Its not too late to be what you might have been.Alison Teal
An alumna addresses a college reunion and finds the thread that links a diverse yet similar crowd.
Question everythingLeo Sewell
Revisit the rebellious spirit of your youth. Your 60s are a perfect time to revive the activism of the 60s!
Go directly to jailKathy J. Marshack, Ph.D., P.S.
To all of the possessions, wealth, and acclaim youve accumulated in the past 60 years, add a little humility. Theres nothing like spending some time in jail to teach you lifes greatest lesson.
Do unto othersGerald S. Migdol
All roads merge at 60! Keep your eye on the path ahead its time to channel the idealism of your youth into the very real need to give back to your community.
Follow your passionsSeawell J. Brandau
At this stage of life, let your passions be your legacy. Endow the futures of others.
Make a differenceSuzanne Wright
Put your energy and drive behind a cause youre passionate about. Its never too late to make your mark!
S ECTION T WO
Im a Believer (The Monkees, 1966)
Find your islandJamie Wyeth
When it comes to creative endeavors, the best path for this acclaimed artist has been solitude.
Dare to believe in ghostsMark Nesbitt
Now that youre closer to heaven than birth, open your mind to the possibility of intangibles. Believe in the mystery of life and beyond!
Be a saintFather James Martin, S.J.
Being holy simply means being who you are. Embrace your true self!
Set your intentionCatherine Shainberg, Ph.D.
The mystical meaning of the number six shows potential balance and harmony in your 60s. Make that potential real by finding an intention to guide you in this decade.
PrayLeslie Williams, Ph.D.
Prayer can be an ongoing conversation and constant companion, no matter what lies ahead.
Reflections on turning 60Rev. Kenneth W. Collier
At 60, the pace of life slows, but that allows time to experience things more deeply and understand them more profoundly.
S ECTION T HREE
Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys, 1966)
Go to where the art isFaith Ringgold
Discover what treasures may be hidden in your museum or art gallery.
Keep your sense of humorJudy Brown
A joke a day keeps the doctor away.
Go ahead and inhaleAlice Waldman
Yoga is just what the doctor ordered for aging boomers. So sit back, take stock, flex your muscles, catch your breath, and get on with your life!
Ask the big questionsTina B. Tessina, Ph.D.
In your sixth decade, its time to search within to find your inner wisdom. Striving to understand why youre here can ease anxiety, anger, and fear, and move you toward life-affirming action!
Chill out and meditateJoan Goldstein
Who hasnt wanted to escape to a tropical island to rest, relax, rejuvenate? You wont need a magic carpet to get away! Just close your eyes and meditate!
Leave a legacy of careMary Pearl
A defining moment for a child inspired a lifelong passion for all things wild. Now, this champion of conservation medicine offers advice on how to care for the Earth even after you leave it.
Be inspired night and dayGreg Mort
Through the years, you may have focused on maintaining a career, raising children, and running a household. You werent so much inspired as compelled, driven, required. Now, becoming 60 may mean that these obligations are receding, leaving room to investigate other pursuits.