Ramona, Rona, Carol, and Rona: Excuse the collective response but I’m short on time and wanted to thank you for the encouragement. I “know” you all well enough (though we haven’t met) to know you get it! So your cheering me on means something. Despite the stairs issue, I am very excited. Hope I have some juicy tales to tell after!
Wonderful, Susan. On the brink of my 74th birthday, I am cheering for you. And I strongly suspect younger women will be too. Unlike our generation, who were not about to trust anyone over 30, younger people today seem to find confident old age kind of cool. Old dames are a thing on TikTok. Awareness is growing: Age, like global warming, is coming for us all. We can grow old with style and vitality, or with bitterness. Go, Susan! You are a role model. As for the physical disintegration I know so well, it could be worse--as I remind myself daily.
Well, Susan, if you're anything like me all of this worrying about stairs and such will evaporate like the morning mist once you get inside and head for those stairs. You'll do fine! You know you'll do fine!
And what an honor. Think about that. This is for you. ❤️
Thinking that my brain and body were separate got me into the physical mess that I’m now in. Headspace meditation enabled me to see the connection and physical therapy and conditioning is helping me to repair the problems.
An insightful, and brave, piece to write...and can relate to much of it. I am a bit older than you, and many body detours had me fantasizing "is This....and Worse...the rest of my life?!" I shuffled along with chronic knee and neck pain. I was longing to ...simply walk with a normal gait. For seven decades, I took walking for granted. And standing up straight. I remember when I first returned to Orcas, dressed up a bit for a friend's art opening, concerned with the state of my deterioration. 2018.
Know what? One day, like magic. I took normal steps! My neck was free. So...not to be a commercial, but I was getting incrementally better with high potency cbd oil drops and rub.
A few years ago, my shoulder seized up painfully, and had agonizing pain down my left leg. Two great sessions with a massage therapist, and four sessions with an acupuncturist got that handled. I remember taking 30 ibuprofen in one day it was so bad. Cbd probably helped here, but I couldn't tell if it did or not. I remember it taking ten minutes to slide on to the car seat, and every bump in the road was a pain jolt.
I have not taken an ibuprofen in 18 months. But occasionally use rub on pain salve and cbd oil for achy finger joints. So...there is hope, even in the face of getting older. I should have deteriorated...but didn't. Hope you find some relief, and you are able to enjoy your well deserved award presentation.
Maybe I need to try some of that magic oil. The idea of pain suddenly not there is dazzling! And yes, it would be such a pure delight to just walk without thinking. We took it so for granted, didn’t we? And have I said lately how much I enjoy having you my facebook (and now substack) friend?
It’s not really my philosophy, being into Feldenkrais (which is wonderful, highly recommended) I think of mind and body as one. Although it feels less like that as I age!!
Reading all your comments this morning is a reminder to me of how resilient we can be. Such great stories, such great people! So glad to have you as my virtual community!
Courage ma brave, and some square breathing to calm your nervous system, so that you can move past the noise of yourself and glide up those stairs. Remembering that failure as a writer is the better part of who you are. Your better angel. Have no fear. And congratulations. 👏👏👏👏
I'm thrilled for you! The honor is well deserved. I teach some of your essays and find them as fresh now as I did when I first discovered your work [computing, computing] almost 30 years ago.
Rock those stairs. I'll be among your virtual cheering squad.
Thank you!! I’m delighted to know you’re teaching essays of mine. I sometimes wonder about their shelf-life, being so much about the culture at the time I wrote (as is pretty much always the case with me in one way or another.) But then again, some of the problems I’ve written about are worse than ever!
Susan, I saved this personal reflection of yours to read until I had time and attention to take it in, and I’m glad I did - first off, CONGRATULATIONS! You completely deserve to be honored. Who knows what your body will do or how you’ll feel about it when confronting those stairs to the podium, but the existential challenge you write about so eloquently here is a sign to me that you are vibrantly, fiercely alive.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how easy it is to fool myself, and what a struggle it feels like (and I do feel it in my gut and bones) to address the shadows as well as the light. I’ve dealt with physical manifestations of existential angst for so long that I never considered that particular aspect of mental overdrive to be age-related - maybe it is, maybe I’m still fooling myself, but I take your effort of living honestly in the present to be a great strength 🎉
Ageing is humbling, that's for sure. But it helps us to let go of old conceits. My mom's favorite motto was: Old age ain't for sissies. And you are certainly no sissy. Anyone who might look at you and fault you because of yours looks or age isn't worth worrying about. I think you are going to be an inspiration to all those young women who see you mounting that stage and think, I want to be just like her when I'm that age. One of my favorite people when I was a political advocate in Santa Barbara was a woman in her 80s who used a walker. But when she came into the room everyone there mentally bowed down, because she showed everyone what it meant to carry your vitality and passion for a cause welll into the dog days of life with grace and dignity. We all wanted to be just like her when we "grew up."
Oh, Susan. I have somehow turned into an 82-year old, and I'm just so happy that you're being recognized. Think of how all us oldsters will be cheering for you as you walk up those stairs! Brenda Daly
P.S. I'm so happy I can still make love, write, take walks, enjoy dinner with friends. Life is so good.
Last December, I was rehearsing four-hand piano music in an awkward position. The next day, my left leg was in excruciating pain. I tried soaking and icing, which helped temporarily, but I was having trouble walking and sleeping. I eventually went to the chiropractor, who diagnosed sciatica, and his treatments helped me walk and eased the back pain. However, I still couldn’t cook because standing in the kitchen was too painful and it was especially difficult to negotiate stairs. Eventually, my wife and son prevailed on me to go to physical therapy and conditioning sessions. I went for my first session, consisting of treatment similar to that of the chiropractor and some very mild weight training and that night I realized that I was pain free for the first time in years. I won’t say that this has continued completely, but I have a lot less pain, I have exercises to eliminate it when it happens, but best of all, it’s now easy to get up stairs. I am five years younger than you but most of what you say resonates with my experience. The conditioning sessions have made me feel a great deal more youthful. Nothing makes you feel your age like chronic pain. I’m lucky to have found a physical solution.
Wow Eric, I want to know what exercises you do! And—how many times have I thought this, and managed to do nothing about it—we do need to catch up on a zoom. I thought retirement was going to leave me with lots of space to keep connected with people. But that seems harder than ever. I do miss “us” though!
Ramona, Rona, Carol, and Rona: Excuse the collective response but I’m short on time and wanted to thank you for the encouragement. I “know” you all well enough (though we haven’t met) to know you get it! So your cheering me on means something. Despite the stairs issue, I am very excited. Hope I have some juicy tales to tell after!
Wonderful, Susan. On the brink of my 74th birthday, I am cheering for you. And I strongly suspect younger women will be too. Unlike our generation, who were not about to trust anyone over 30, younger people today seem to find confident old age kind of cool. Old dames are a thing on TikTok. Awareness is growing: Age, like global warming, is coming for us all. We can grow old with style and vitality, or with bitterness. Go, Susan! You are a role model. As for the physical disintegration I know so well, it could be worse--as I remind myself daily.
These are truly encouraging words. It’s good to hear Old Dames are a thing on TikTok! Hope my daughter knows that!
Well, Susan, if you're anything like me all of this worrying about stairs and such will evaporate like the morning mist once you get inside and head for those stairs. You'll do fine! You know you'll do fine!
And what an honor. Think about that. This is for you. ❤️
What a delightful thought, to imagine worry of any kind evaporating! I’m going to try to make that a guiding image for all sorts of things.
Thinking that my brain and body were separate got me into the physical mess that I’m now in. Headspace meditation enabled me to see the connection and physical therapy and conditioning is helping me to repair the problems.
An insightful, and brave, piece to write...and can relate to much of it. I am a bit older than you, and many body detours had me fantasizing "is This....and Worse...the rest of my life?!" I shuffled along with chronic knee and neck pain. I was longing to ...simply walk with a normal gait. For seven decades, I took walking for granted. And standing up straight. I remember when I first returned to Orcas, dressed up a bit for a friend's art opening, concerned with the state of my deterioration. 2018.
Know what? One day, like magic. I took normal steps! My neck was free. So...not to be a commercial, but I was getting incrementally better with high potency cbd oil drops and rub.
A few years ago, my shoulder seized up painfully, and had agonizing pain down my left leg. Two great sessions with a massage therapist, and four sessions with an acupuncturist got that handled. I remember taking 30 ibuprofen in one day it was so bad. Cbd probably helped here, but I couldn't tell if it did or not. I remember it taking ten minutes to slide on to the car seat, and every bump in the road was a pain jolt.
I have not taken an ibuprofen in 18 months. But occasionally use rub on pain salve and cbd oil for achy finger joints. So...there is hope, even in the face of getting older. I should have deteriorated...but didn't. Hope you find some relief, and you are able to enjoy your well deserved award presentation.
Maybe I need to try some of that magic oil. The idea of pain suddenly not there is dazzling! And yes, it would be such a pure delight to just walk without thinking. We took it so for granted, didn’t we? And have I said lately how much I enjoy having you my facebook (and now substack) friend?
I so feel for you. Try to remember that you are your brain not your body. Think of Stephen Hawking.
It’s not really my philosophy, being into Feldenkrais (which is wonderful, highly recommended) I think of mind and body as one. Although it feels less like that as I age!!
Reading all your comments this morning is a reminder to me of how resilient we can be. Such great stories, such great people! So glad to have you as my virtual community!
Courage ma brave, and some square breathing to calm your nervous system, so that you can move past the noise of yourself and glide up those stairs. Remembering that failure as a writer is the better part of who you are. Your better angel. Have no fear. And congratulations. 👏👏👏👏
I'm thrilled for you! The honor is well deserved. I teach some of your essays and find them as fresh now as I did when I first discovered your work [computing, computing] almost 30 years ago.
Rock those stairs. I'll be among your virtual cheering squad.
Thank you!! I’m delighted to know you’re teaching essays of mine. I sometimes wonder about their shelf-life, being so much about the culture at the time I wrote (as is pretty much always the case with me in one way or another.) But then again, some of the problems I’ve written about are worse than ever!
Beautiful personal reflection. Thank you for sharing!
What an honor. The grace of this writing will no doubt be reflected in the grace of your accepting of it. Looking forward to hearing how it goes. ❤️
Susan, I saved this personal reflection of yours to read until I had time and attention to take it in, and I’m glad I did - first off, CONGRATULATIONS! You completely deserve to be honored. Who knows what your body will do or how you’ll feel about it when confronting those stairs to the podium, but the existential challenge you write about so eloquently here is a sign to me that you are vibrantly, fiercely alive.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how easy it is to fool myself, and what a struggle it feels like (and I do feel it in my gut and bones) to address the shadows as well as the light. I’ve dealt with physical manifestations of existential angst for so long that I never considered that particular aspect of mental overdrive to be age-related - maybe it is, maybe I’m still fooling myself, but I take your effort of living honestly in the present to be a great strength 🎉
Ageing is humbling, that's for sure. But it helps us to let go of old conceits. My mom's favorite motto was: Old age ain't for sissies. And you are certainly no sissy. Anyone who might look at you and fault you because of yours looks or age isn't worth worrying about. I think you are going to be an inspiration to all those young women who see you mounting that stage and think, I want to be just like her when I'm that age. One of my favorite people when I was a political advocate in Santa Barbara was a woman in her 80s who used a walker. But when she came into the room everyone there mentally bowed down, because she showed everyone what it meant to carry your vitality and passion for a cause welll into the dog days of life with grace and dignity. We all wanted to be just like her when we "grew up."
These words are truly bolstering and inspiring. Let me constantly remember that I ain’t no sissy!!
Oh, Susan. I have somehow turned into an 82-year old, and I'm just so happy that you're being recognized. Think of how all us oldsters will be cheering for you as you walk up those stairs! Brenda Daly
P.S. I'm so happy I can still make love, write, take walks, enjoy dinner with friends. Life is so good.
I wish all of you could be there in the audience!
Last December, I was rehearsing four-hand piano music in an awkward position. The next day, my left leg was in excruciating pain. I tried soaking and icing, which helped temporarily, but I was having trouble walking and sleeping. I eventually went to the chiropractor, who diagnosed sciatica, and his treatments helped me walk and eased the back pain. However, I still couldn’t cook because standing in the kitchen was too painful and it was especially difficult to negotiate stairs. Eventually, my wife and son prevailed on me to go to physical therapy and conditioning sessions. I went for my first session, consisting of treatment similar to that of the chiropractor and some very mild weight training and that night I realized that I was pain free for the first time in years. I won’t say that this has continued completely, but I have a lot less pain, I have exercises to eliminate it when it happens, but best of all, it’s now easy to get up stairs. I am five years younger than you but most of what you say resonates with my experience. The conditioning sessions have made me feel a great deal more youthful. Nothing makes you feel your age like chronic pain. I’m lucky to have found a physical solution.
Wow Eric, I want to know what exercises you do! And—how many times have I thought this, and managed to do nothing about it—we do need to catch up on a zoom. I thought retirement was going to leave me with lots of space to keep connected with people. But that seems harder than ever. I do miss “us” though!
You are a role model of candor and strength. Congratulations on your coming honor.
What a wonderful comment. And I’m so pleased that we are becoming substack pals. We should do some collaborative writing sometime.
I was thinking the same thing! Send me an email at robertsdavidn@gmail.com and we can pursue it.
Ha, great idea. So I’m 7.6, soon to be 7.7–which kind of sounds lucky. Still not ready to act my age.