Month: March 2025

And no, this is not a joke! But it could change the way you think about getting older.

Have you seen the movie Up in the Air? George (we’re on a first name basis; he just doesn’t know it yet), plays a traveling corporate downsizer who makes a living flying across the country firing people for employers who don’t want to do it themselves.

Crosby Stills & Nash’s song “Taken at All” is in the soundtrack of the movie, and I found that the two themes woven together create a beautiful and important image and message to remember.

In one scene of the movie George is about to fire someone and tells the man that he (George) is not a shrink, but a wakeup call. He then asks the man if his kids admire him and tells him that the reason kids love athletes is because they follow their dreams. George notices the man’s resume says he minored in French culinary arts. He asks him how much they paid him to give up his dreams, and when was he going to stop and go back to doing what made him happy?

Also read, Creating the Life You Dream of.

Pause the Movie on This Frame for a Moment

Now let’s go to our proverbial record player and look at the CSN song, Taken at All.

It begins with, “This is me; can you take another look.” It asks if the road we’re on is really the only way. Another lyric, “We lost it on the highway” refers to how often we forget and lose sight of our passions and desires due to the internal and external pressures of what we think (and others think) we should be doing. The song ends with the lyric, “Can this road be taken, taken at all.”

My Perspective

The Song

This song encourages us to look at our life in this moment to see how we feel and to ask ourselves if we are on the right path. And if we’re being honest and see that we’re not, it inspires us to consider whether we can still pivot. Is there a possibility of taking another path or perhaps revisiting one we chose not to travel down once before?

The Movie

Then there is the movie which has us contemplate our choices, encouraging us to realize that we can change course, and that it’s never too late to choose a different path.

Have you ever stopped along your highway to consider if the road you’re on is indeed the one you want to be on?

I know that I have found myself miles and miles down a path that was very bumpy, lonely (even though I wasn’t alone), and the scenery sucked! The problem was, I thought I was going in the direction I was supposed to, so I didn’t see that I was making excuses for the rough road and not enjoying the ride. I had blinders on so I couldn’t see the exit signs.

Jobs, careers, relationships, play, rewind, play, rewind… I kept listening more to the voice in my head, instead of the one coming from deep within that can often be easily ignored or not heard at all.

With some personal work I finally got off that loop of a highway and let some passengers out. I was able to see that there were other roads to choose that would be healthier and far more gratifying, and that my age didn’t have to stop me from exploring them.

When we’re young, to quote a lyric in a song from The Sound of Music, “We flit, we float we fleetly flee, we fly,” and don’t think twice about changing paths to do something fun, or creative that transports us to a different time zone where hours fly by unnoticed.

Note to Selves

We can still experience those feelings of curiosity, excitement, joy, creativity and fulfillment! And I dare say even more so than when we were younger because we have the life experience to deeply appreciate when we are on our authentic path!

Let’s make a pact that we won’t just clock in and clock out of our lives, numb to our desires and the possibilities that await us!

Pull off to the side of the road, look out the windshield and ask yourself if you are where you want to be, and if you are going in the direction you want to be going. If the answer is no, it is not too late!

This is our life; right now. This is not a rehearsal for our life. Every day is opening night. Every single day is a chance to walk down our own red carpet feeling so very proud of ourselves because we are living our best damn life, the way we choose to live it!

As I always say, live passionately, live vulnerably, and keep loving later life!

We all deserve to be living our authentic lives!

Let’s Support Each Other in Conversation:

Have you changed course, knowing the path you were on wasn’t right for you? Are you fearful to make a change? What scares you the most? We can talk about it! What thoughts/feelings did this bring up for you?

As I walked through the small conference of meeting planners and destination managers at the Denver Conference Center, I noticed the high quality of swag.

Not only were digital photos embossed on cookies, here was the kind of truly good takeaway that you don’t often see at larger conferences. After all, these folks were showing off their wares.

On one long table offering gourmet chocolates, I saw a small stack of slim pocket 20-year calendars. I picked up two and tossed them in my swag bag.

That day I got home early because a cyclone bomb blizzard threatened to make the short drive home dangerous. So, I returned to the quiet of my house, by then blanketed by several inches of snow. The storm swirled furiously around the tall trees in my yard, their bows lashed by 79-mph winds.

A Good Day for Introspection

I dumped the swag onto the counter. Out slid the slim 20-year calendar. While munching happily on a digitally-enhanced sugar cookie, I opened it.

In 1968, when 2001: A Space Odyssey debuted, I was just 15. I remember thinking that in the year 2001, I’d be 48. My god, I thought at the time, that is just SO OLD.

Fast forward. At 72, 20+ years past that particular deadline, I’m still not old, per se. Because that’s more a matter of how I feel and interact with the world, my energy and life choices around exercise and diet.

However, the inescapable reality is that in 20 years I will be 92.

At this age, as we can attest, time really does indeed fly. I don’t know about you, but for me, it was just Christmas a minute ago. Now the crocuses are starting to peep through the soil.

One of my favorite movie lines is from Gandalf, in Lord of the Rings. Frodo expresses great discomfort that he got stuck with the task of carrying the Ring back to Mordor. Gandalf says, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

Learning from the Past

Several years ago, I had a relationship breakup that shattered me and forced me to question my value. Subsequent to that I got ill in a way that made it clear that emotions, rather than genuine sickness, was at work. As I enter my 72nd year, I have different choices to make, and different options open to me.

I can be angry and hurt about the past. Or I can fill the years ahead with as much work, wonder, and wildlife as I possibly can.

I don’t doubt there will be down times. But with perhaps two, maybe three decades left to me, I also have no time to waste feeling sorry for myself or angry at my circumstances.

Such times are perfect to question what habits can be challenged. What doors we might open to something new. While I continue doing the things I love, such as adventure travel, that door will eventually begin to shut as my body requires that I mind its wear and tear a bit differently.

That’s not a loss. That’s simply evolving. I won’t stop. I will modify.

Do the Best You Can for as Long as You Can

Meanwhile I do all I can to remain healthy. I’ve hired a coach to help me overhaul my work life. I have a lifelong passion for helping women and intend to turn that into work for the rest of my life.

We are designing what that looks like. This is as exciting and terrifying as my very first sky dive. Holy Crap, Batman. That’s a long way down.

If you consider where you are in life, the substantial gifts you have to give, and how badly you and I are needed today, it’s hard, for me at least, to justify not throwing myself into ways to continue to work. As well as play. That’s what makes the work even more fun.

When I get there, I may well feel like a very young 92-er, but I will still be 92. The endless ocean of time that was available to me at 15 has diminished – but I don’t have to. Neither do you.

Just because we will never be young again doesn’t mean we can’t be youthful, and in that energy, be able to do ever so much more.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What will you do with the time that is given you? Have you started an exciting new project? Are you making waves in brand new ways? What have you learned since you turned 60? Please share with our wonderful community!

What’s with the superhero jaw?

A recipe is more than just directions on a page – it’s a memory, a tradition, a piece of someone’s heart passed down through time.

It’s the taste of childhood, the comfort of a loved one’s cooking, the warmth of a meal shared with family.

Whether it’s your grandmother’s worn, handwritten pie recipe or a dish that’s been at every holiday table for years, these recipes hold stories.

They carry laughter, love, and the feeling of home in every bite.

The Emotional Power of a Favorite Dish

Food is more than just nourishment – it’s a bridge to the past. There is such joy in cooking.

A single bite of a favorite dish can bring back childhood afternoons in your grandmother’s kitchen, holiday feasts filled with laughter, or quiet moments around the table with loved ones.

Certain smells and flavors have a way of unlocking memories, making us feel like we’re right back in those special moments.

Cooking a well-loved recipe is about reliving the emotions tied to it. The warmth of a familiar dish can bring comfort on difficult days, spark nostalgia for those we miss, and fill a home with a sense of belonging.

How to Discover Your Most Cherished Recipes

• Which meal instantly brings back happy memories?
• Is there a dish that reminds you of a loved one?
• What recipes have been passed down in your family?
• Are there any meals you associate with holidays or special occasions?
• What’s a dish you crave when you need comfort?
• What’s a dish you’ve made for years that feels like a part of your story?
• Which recipes do you hope to pass down to future generations?
• Is there a meal that reminds you of home, no matter where you are?

Answering these questions can help you rediscover the recipes that mean the most to you and inspire you to preserve them for years to come.

Creative Ways to Display and Pass Down Recipes

A well-loved recipe deserves to be preserved in a way that makes it both accessible and meaningful for future generations.

Here are a few creative ways to display and pass it down:

Framed Recipe Cards

Take a handwritten recipe and frame it, especially if it’s in the handwriting of a loved one. This can be displayed in the kitchen as a nostalgic keepsake.

Custom Recipe Tea Towels

Print a favorite recipe onto a tea towel as a unique, functional way to preserve it.

Recipe Scrapbook

Create a scrapbook featuring photos, handwritten notes, and memories tied to different family recipes.

Digital Recipe Archive

Scan old recipes and store them digitally for easy sharing with family members across generations.

Personalized Recipe Book

Compile family recipes into a printed book to give as gifts during holidays or special occasions.

Hosting a Recipe Memory Night: Cooking, Connection, and Stories

A “Recipe Memory Night” is a gathering of family and friends to celebrate the stories behind the dishes that have shaped our lives.

This event is a meaningful way to share and preserve food traditions while enjoying a delicious meal together.

Who doesn’t love to visit and eat? Here is how to plan a Recipe Memory Night:

Step 1: Inviting Guests and Their Recipes

Encourage guests to bring:

• A dish that holds a special memory.
• A short story about where the recipe came from and why it’s meaningful.
• A printed copy of their recipe to share with others.

For an added touch, you could create a small “Memory Recipe Book” by compiling everyone’s recipes into a keepsake for all to take home.

Step 2: Setting the Atmosphere

To make the night even more special:

• Decorate with nostalgia – Use vintage dishes, old family photos, or heirloom tableware to set the mood.
• Create a cozy ambiance – Play music from different decades or a playlist with songs that remind guests of their childhood.
• Have a ‘Memory Sharing Moment’ – As everyone eats, invite each person to share a favorite story related to their dish.

Step 3: Sharing the Meal and the Stories Behind It

The heart of a Recipe Memory Night isn’t just the food – it’s the stories and connections that come with it. As everyone sits down to eat, create an atmosphere that encourages storytelling and reminiscing.

Ways to make the meal more meaningful:

Go Around the Table

Invite each guest to share the story behind their dish as everyone enjoys it. What makes it special? Who first made it? Why has it stayed in their family?

Encourage Conversation

Ask guests to reflect on questions like: What’s the best meal you’ve ever had? Who taught you to cook? What’s a dish that always reminds you of home?

Pair Stories with Bites

As guests take their first bites, let them reflect on the flavors and memories they bring back.

Make this a slow, enjoyable meal where stories flow as easily as the food. The goal is to celebrate the people and memories behind each dish, savoring not just the flavors but also the love and traditions they represent.

Step 4: Capturing the Moment

To make this event truly unforgettable:

• Take photos of the dishes and the people behind them.
• Record short video clips of guests sharing their food stories.
• Write down key memories and reflections from the night in a shared notebook or digital journal.

Step 5: Keeping the Tradition Alive

After the event:

• Keep in touch with guests by exchanging more recipes.
• Plan a follow-up night with a different theme.
• Encourage loved ones to document their favorite recipes for future generations.

Final Thoughts: A Dish Full of Love

A favorite recipe is more than food. It connects us, holds memories, and shows love through a home-cooked meal.

Hosting a Recipe Memory Night can bring people together, spark meaningful conversations, and ensure that treasured food traditions live on.

So, dust off those recipe cards, gather your loved ones, and cook up an evening full of nostalgia and joy.

Who knows?

You may even create a new tradition that future generations will cherish.

Let’s Reminisce Together:

Do you have a favorite recipe that reminds you of a loved one? What’s the story? What recipes have you passed down to those coming after you? Have you thought about hosting a Recipe Memory Night?

What’s with the superhero jaw?