Can I brag just a little? For all those who think elders' lives are done [View all]

It’s been a good month. Last week I finished my MFA in Creative Writing at 66, and yesterday Mr. Bear received his black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu at 65.

Are we old enough to have to deal with the pains and problems that come with age? You bet. Things hurt out of nowhere, healing is slow, and I refuse the painkillers that would make me less able to do what I love, writing and teaching writing. He’s done jiujitsu through stents, a bypass, and we’ve had COVID restrictions that made things far different than we’d imagined for months. But by God we did it! There’s a way. It might have to be a new way, but there’s a way!

Thanks for “listening.” One of my writing goals is to have full, interesting elder characters in my work. We get a terrible rap for such productive people.