Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis (article written in April of 2020) Fear or Anxiety? I’ve heard it said that fear is the reaction to impending danger, but anxiety is the fear of fear. I am not a psychologist, but I am trying to figure out my response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inaugural address of 1933, he coined that memorable phrase, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Speaking during the Gre

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis We are experiencing a very dark time in our history. Everyone I talk to says the same thing: “I’ve never seen anything like this!” It seems that each day, the news gets worse. Our everyday lives are on hold. Every decision we make is directly related to our health and safety. It’s hard to believe that going grocery shopping is a health risk! There is so much fear, anxiety, pain, worry, and sorrow. I

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis Do you remember 2020? When I started to compile this book in February of 2020, I had very little information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and how it would impact our lives. As of May 2020, we are all keenly aware of it. Since I have continued to write about current events from the viewpoint of the Elder, I have included several articles that have appeared in the To peka Capital-Journal and the Ar

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis When my articles on stuff appeared in the newspaper, I got more feedback than on any other topic. The comments came from all ages. I visited with an acquaintance who said she had been the beneficiary of generations of family treasures from parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. Although she is years away from downsizing, she worries continually about what she will do with all the stuff.

Have you asked yourself that question, “How did I get here?” It seems to come up in my life frequently. Like sitting at the high school graduation of a grandchild. I think, “How could time have passed so fast, I was just at my son’s graduation!” I get on the scales and see a shock ing number, and I think, “How did this happen?” I joke with my kids about the dark ages when we had one TV set with two channels and a test pattern; it seems impossible! I guess time does not need o

My mother got up every day and put on her face. Mom got out of bed and went through her morning routine, which included putting on her makeup. She did it every day come rain or shine. I didn’t think much of it as a kid, but as I grew up, I realized that not everyone was so diligent about putting on their face. Of course, I followed her footsteps; putting on my face is as natural as breathing. Don’t get me wrong; it isn’t about the vanity of makeup; it is an attitude of p

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis What is your philosophy on aging? The most critical factor in your personal aging experience is the way you think about it. That includes how you prepare for it and how you accept it. I believe that very few people give thought to their personal aging philosophy. The dictionary defines philosophy as “a precept, or set of precepts, beliefs, principles, or aims, underlying somebody’s practice or conduc

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis I recently came across this object lesson about stress. A woman walked around a room with a raised glass of water while teaching on stress management. “How heavy is this glass of water?” she asked. Answers ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She responded, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by connie Mason Michaelis Nationwide, the centenarian population has grown 65.8% over the past three decades. In contrast, the total population has increased by 36.3%over the same period. The 100-year-olds are gaining on us! Do you aspire to be a member of this auspicious group? A recent article in the US News and World Report stated that centenarians have certain things in common. The first thing they have in common is th

When my articles on stuff appeared in the newspaper, I got more feedback than on any other topic. The comments came from all ages. I visited with an acquaintance who said she had been the benefactor of generations of family treasures from parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. Although she is years away from downsizing, she worries continually about what she will do with all the stuff. It appears that her children have little interest in inheriting these items

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis Have you asked yourself that question, “How did I get here?” It seems to come up in my life frequently. Like sitting at a grandchild's high school graduation. I think, “How could time have passed so fast? I was just at my son’s graduation!” I get on the scales and see a shocking number, and I think, “How did this happen?” I joke with my kids about the dark ages when we had one TV set with two chan

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis I just watched the Today Show Special on “Ageless Beauty.” What a great message they presented. If you’ve not seen M∙A∙C Cosmetics’ newest model, you’re in for a treat. Her name is Iris Apfel, and she is 98 plus years old! In the interview, they asked if she thought women were tired of being represented by ridiculously young female models. She said, “They ought to be; if they’re not, it is their

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis Sister Dee is on the right Families are important. How obvious is that? We automatically think of parents raising children in a safe, secure, and loving environment. Our offspring could not survive without years of adult provision for all their basic needs, including a great deal of love. Another increasingly prevalent scenario is children caring for aging parents. Maybe that is not so obvious. In my

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis Iyla Mason's 94th birthday As I reflect on Mom’s 95 years, it is evident that the last five were some of her best. Of course, I was not around for the first 30, but I know the stories told by my sisters and mom herself. Life was full of responsibilities and hard work. Mom never slacked from duty. She raised three kids on the farm and was the caregiver for almost eight years for Grandpa Mason, h

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis I have a beautiful picture of hands displayed in my home. My two sisters and I had a professional photographer take pictures at Mom’s 90th birthday celebration, and one of them was a simple picture of our hands. We have always commented that our hands looked more alike than our faces. Mom was embarrassed that hers looked so wrinkled and worn. I could have picked my mom’s hands out of a lineup withou

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis The lessons from my fall and the resulting handicap continue to teach me lessons. Probably the most profound realization is the way strangers look or don’t look at you when riding in a wheelchair. You get a navel-level view of the world, and as you glance up at the passing individuals, it invites interaction by default. Some turn away and ignore you, some frown or grimace, and others smile kindly wit

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis Lessons from the Fall (The next four articles were written after a disastrous fall I had while on vacation in Michigan. While recovering, I used the time to learn some valuable lessons about vulnerability.) I took a shortcut down a flight of stairs, ending up head down on concrete. The left side of my body took a beating, which honestly saved me from a head injury, and for that, I am grateful. Se

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis I love it when people capture a whole philosophy in a nutshell. I talked to a lady who said she had decided at the ripe old age of 65 that she was determined not to mold but to keep moving forward with plans for an invigorating and active future. That thought is my mantra and so succinctly stated! Molding is the antithesis of movement; molding implies decay, rot, and rust. How many of those words h

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis December is a month of reflection and celebration, while January lends itself to goal setting, planning, and expectations. But this year seems more ominous when we anticipate not only a new year but a new decade! January 2020 seems like a momentous occasion to look backward and forward---to take a broader view. It was just yesterday that we were panicked about the threats of Y2K, and here we are a sc

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis Perhaps the stereotypes of the idealism of youth and the pessimism of older age both miss the mark. These characterizations don’t reflect the reality of life. I see an increasing optimism about aging and the opportunities it creates. On the other hand, we learn about rising teenage suicide rates, and it becomes apparent that there are a growing number of young people who have no hope for the future a