Category Archives: Culture

An Art Show and an Old Friend’s Vocation

Posted on November 17, 2017 by

I recently went to an exhibit of paintings by Franklin D. Speyers, one of my college roommates. Frank currently has a show entitled “West of the Imagination” at the Center Art Gallery of Calvin College, the school where we both … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche, Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Touch Me”

Posted on July 24, 2017 by

There’s an interesting incident near the end of David Foster Wallace’s magnum opus Infinite Jest that says a lot about how humans treat each other. It’s the story of Barry Loach, the head trainer at Enfield Tennis Academy. Earlier, Barry’s … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving, Culture | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Relocating to a Retirement Community: “Settling In”

Posted on April 14, 2017 by

I recently read Richard Morgan’s 2006 book Settling In: My First Year in a Retirement Community. At age 74, Morgan, a retired Presbyterian minister, moved from Morgantown, North Carolina to a retirement community in Western Pennsylvania. He and his wife … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Relationships, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Bring an Item That Holds Great Personal Value”

Posted on May 14, 2016 by

The psychology practice where I work part-time recently had a one day retreat. Everyone who attended was asked to bring a bag containing: 1) A favorite hat, scarf, or other personal item (tee shirt?) that you enjoy wearing 2) One … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ageism Through the Ages

Posted on April 16, 2016 by

Ageism is prejudice or discrimination against those who are middle-aged or elderly. Psychiatrist Robert Neil Butler coined the term in 1969, but of course ageism existed well before that. What attitudes did people have toward the elderly a hundred or … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aging Well the Puritan Way

Posted on July 15, 2015 by

Where should we look for models of how to age well? Who has a good understanding of what makes for good psychological, social, and spiritual functioning in old age? Well, how about the Puritans? That, at least, is where Maxine Hancock … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche, Spirit | Leave a comment

I Went to a Concert by Myself. So Can You.

Posted on May 30, 2015 by

Last month I went to a baroque music concert by myself. I’m not dating or married to anyone, and trying to find someone to go with me seemed too much trouble. The Grand Rapids Symphony did a marvelous job, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Old Age Style

Posted on May 19, 2015 by

Some time ago I ran across an  article from 1972 on the style characteristic of elderly artists. The author, Kenneth Clark finds in their works several common features, which he identified as follows: “Now let me try to summarise the characteristics of the old-age style as they … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Success, Then Poverty: William McPherson’s Story

Posted on March 22, 2015 by

I recently wrote a post that alluded to the struggles of the working poor after they reach retirement age. It’s not just the working poor that spend their last years mired in financial difficulties, though. Consider the lot of a Pulitzer-winning … Continue reading →

Posted in Body, Culture | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Retiring Among the Like-Minded…Or Not

Posted on March 7, 2015 by

Ever since switching from full time to part time employment I’ve been thinking about what constitutes a good retirement. I’m sometimes surprised by who has something to say about the issue. Jack Dickey, a 24-year-old writing for Time magazine, put … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment