Musings & Revelations On Turning 75 Soon – EEK

It dawned on me the other day that I have been writing my weekly column for over half my life. That’s a long time.
 
I’ve shared many experiences with you: 
      Empty nest
      Increasingly jiggly body parts
      Bulimia
      Relevancy in adult kids’ lives
      Books I’ve hated and ones I’ve loved
      Mood/weight/mood/weight…..
      Old boyfriends
      Irrelevancy in my adult kids‘ lives
      Marriage and other aggravations (Tee Hee)
 
Many of you have written back and commented – thus giving me a glimpse of your little silo of life too. And whether I was hitting a nerve.

 
Here’s a few comments:
      WOW. This one gave me goosebumps.
      As always, a thoughtful, meaningful and well written piece.
     Thank you for this most eloquent way of writing what many of us are thinking every day.
      Your column continues to be an inspiration.
      What a touching message. I loved this.
      Yes to all of this. Amen. Amen. Amen.
 

 
I recently read in the WSJ (April 5, 2022) an article by Andrea Petersen where she said, “about one in five women ages 40-59 and nearly one in four women ages 60 and over used anti-depressants in the last 30 days during 2015-2018,” according to the last data from the National Center for Health Statistics. 
 
That’s alarming. 
 
And for those who don’t turn to anti-depressants? Many reach out to friends for support and commiseration. I’m not advocating turning your back on meds, but I am advocating that there is something soothing about the tribal mentality – the mindset that we are all in this game-of-life together.
 
What we are feeling has been felt before and, therefore, we can profit from some sisterly support.
 

 
And, as Rhiannon Geddens, Grammy winner, recently noted on NPR Here and Now: sad songs from the past focusing on struggles put us in touch with our ancestors and make us feel less alone when trouble comes calling. 
 
I think from the comments I receive and the large subscriber base I have, my weekly Preserving You Bloom column that comes in your e mail box Fridays around 3pm also provides camaraderie, connection and compassion.
 
As an early 75^th birthday present to me, please forward this link below to five friends who you feel would benefit from reading my weekly musings and who would identify with my writing. 
 
This link takes you directly to my website, where a sign-up sheet for my newsletter will pop up. 
                                      https://irisruthpastor.com
 

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”
C.S. Lewis

 
 
Let’s include others in our circle. 
Let’s expand our friend base.
Let’s Keep Preserving our Blooms,
 
Iris Ruth Pastor