Roy’s Sunday Letter for February 1, 2026
Life Stages Of 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80.s
Reels and Google easily present “What you need to know” about you or someone close to you in individual life stages. I was still achieving in my 50’s and 60’s mind set and work style. I paid little attention to what would have been helpful for me to, both, know and practice. Now, somehow, at 81, I am investing eyes and ears to these life lessons. Wisdom does come to elders. I encourage all SL readers to search and learn about your own life stages, even our dear friends in their 20’s and 30’s. This information and teachings are common to 70 and 80’s reference sites.
- My circle or village of family, friends and peers will become smaller due to declining health, relocation or death.
- Physical strength will weaken, even with regular workouts. Diminished sight, hearing, and taste may also be experienced.
- With these limitations there is a tendency to isolate, to separate from others. Resist! Get up; Go; Keep moving. Our phones and social platforms promote connections so important to our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Be responsive to physical and medical changes by making and keeping exam and testing appointments. In elderhood, pay attention to body signals. Your medical team can treat best with current physical and emotional reporting.
- My summary words: Be Brave, Show Courage, Be Flexible, able to adapt and shift thinking of old behaviors into new, healthy ways. Bring all of your experienced and wise you to face challenges, health, and friendships in the creative ways of living well, living long.
Last week’s national weather brought extreme cold and heavy snow on the east coast and wintery mix and ice in southwest. Traffic pileups were too abundant. Deaths locally from the cold and the sadness of the drowning deaths of three young brothers. This weather challenged our safety, emotional and physical balancing of what we control and reminding us of all we do not.
Our Monks and Aloka, continue their simple ‘Walk for Peace,’ now Day 97 in Virginia. Thousands gather to witness, to support their message of peaceful living and kindness. With each day’s decision to walk, even in east coast cold, shows America the Light of Hope and encouraging communities to care for one another. Walk on brothers, walk on.
Roy, still learning within my own life stage
This life stage is a challenge. If I had one suggestion for the younger crowd it would be to move more. I have never been good at exercising and that failure has caught up with me. Each of us should find some form of exercise that we enjoy doing. It might not be thrilling but exercise keeps our bodies fluid. I have always been more of a sedentary person, reading, needlepoint and more reading, but now I wish I had moved more to ward off balance issues and stiff joints. I so admire the monks that continue their walk across the country, they bring hope to all of us.
a strong Yes to your wish an earlier life of movement.
If the market had not invented recliners, we might be healthier (typed from a recliner).
Our heart MD, 5 yrs ago, encouraged “keep moving.”
Along with the physical, there is the same truth for emotional and spiritual health.
Your comments always true and helpful to us all……
Good morning Roy, thanks for the letter and aging wisdom points. you know what i will suggest.. cold plunge!! even a final few seconds of cold water in the shower will help. I have been 7 sitting my granddaughter here in Reno, ( can’t call it babysitting, her orders!, because she is no longer a baby, so we are using her age as the marker ! ). Her youth and energy highlight my diminishing returns!! Maurine’s advice about moving is well said.. start moving early and keep moving, regardless..
Happy Sunday to all.
Friend Mike…..my healthy day begins on the other side of cold plunge.
I witness your belief in and practice of cold plunge…..and amazed by your testimony of all the good to follow.
Well done by you, but only from the written record for me.
Betty’s service and memory day soon.
With 3 of her family (husband and 2 sons) in local cemetery, will her ashes be shared and spread with these 3????
Thoughts of the reach across of healing separations and healing of communities and families.
Best to you and all within your caretaking…..
Roy,
Yes, I do comment on the rare occasion! Kari and I have struggled recently in finding community. We coffee a lot with certain friends and those coffees tend to be rather lengthly. We have come across an idea that we hope to put in place soon. For lack of a better word, we are considering to invite a few like minded friends to join us in a “Covenant Group” (non-religous). A time to gather on a week day evening to share our joys (families, grandkids, travels) and our concerns (the state of our health, our country, our world). The list could be endless. An initial gathering may determine topics, length of gathering, frequency of gatherings. The gathering’ ultimate goal is supporting each other. The country and world is still dealing with the long term effects of the pandemic which we know one is loss of community. I’ll keep you informed – Marty
Marty, a strong YES to Covent Group as a new core of daily life.
I have shared the same desire to have trusted others to work through the questions of next steps.
The weakness path is to go it alone, individually or as couple.
None of us have all the answers, much less all the right questions.
Add Beth and I to your coffee chat.
In the coming warmth of this week, I will do a reach out beyond keyboard, like real voices.
More to share about how elder housing can promote this common goal.
Yes, we all must continue to walk, physically and/or mentally. And be grateful for those abilities. Sometimes we walk around a familiar block, to a familiar bench, and sometimes we walk into a great unknown. Either walk carries with it the reminder of friends who are also walking, either close by or far away. Thanks for your continued closeness.
Walking beside, behind, and maybe an inch ahead.
Same path of challenges and opportunities,
For me, stumbling and mumbling
We both on a digital bench……sharing the warmth of stories of what happened, did not happen.
& continue on…..
Very interesting topic Roy. Much to consider. Our health is in our hands as we can choose to take the right steps in eating healthy foods, realizing the importance of the brain/gut connection in exercising , connecting with each others souls, in friendship and community and perhaps finding a pet we can nuture as they nurture us with their love and affection. Sharing our good and bad health care experiences can help guide us to perhaps a healthier life. Some of us find ourselves alone in many ways and our helping hand might be a special blessing for each of us. There are certainly many causes that can use our life of knowledge and experiences that can help make this world a better place to live in. And perhaps finding a good friend to just sit down with to share a good cup of coffee might just make this day just a little bit better.
Friend Peter…..Yes, much to challenge in 12 different ways every day.
Like in a physical push over, widen your stance, hold tight to someone nearby, absorb the force while loudly singing “I Shall Not Be Moved.”
Your writings are clear and meaningful. Helpful. Meaninful.
With coffee once again ahead……RB