Kendal at Oberlin Blog

What comes to mind when you think about our national parks? Do you envision the amazing vistas of the Grand Canyon, or perhaps wild and wonderful Yellowstone? America’s national parks are a travel destination for millions of us year-to-year. Let’s check out some numbers:

Ask your local church, food bank, arts organization or other favorite non-profit the value of their volunteers and you’re likely to hear a variety of superlative words that express a similar sentiment: Volunteers are essential to its mission.

When it comes to eating healthy, less is more and dark green, red and orange veggies are best. Sure, eating healthy is a year-round activity, but during March, National Nutrition Month, health experts give us a refresher course on what to eat to stay healthy and active.

Water yoga and tap dancing classes — in all about 40 hours of land and water fitness classes weekly.

When Judi Bachrach’s husband died, she lost both a soulmate of nearly 50 years and a caregiver who helped her with the challenges of multiple sclerosis.

When it comes to keeping our heart in shape, we need to pay attention to what we eat and drink. But following a diet that includes more fruits and vegetables and less sodium and fats isn’t the only ingredient for a healthy heart.

We also need exercise to get our body in shape.

Holiday music and movies,

Colorful lights and ornaments,

Religious and spiritual meetings,

Presents made and bought,

Festive parties and gatherings,

And food every step of the way.

Often during the holidays, we pass over healthy food and forgo good eating habits when confronted with scrumptious appetizers, plentiful buffets, cookie platters galore and festive drinks.  What’s the harm, we think as we overfill a plate with pastry puffs and rich dips, followed with the excuse, I don’t want to be rude, as the host passes around desert trays.

For many of us, the holidays bring out our best as we go the extra mile to make a special gift for a loved one, plan a dinner party for friends or donate money to our favorite charity.

But for con artists, holidays bring out the worst as they look for new and clever ways to prey on our generous spirits, especially those of older adults.

Like every chapter of their lives, Baby Boomers have redefined what it means to work and play, form relationships and find inner peace, and now grow old.

Even our language is undergoing a change as we talk about Boomers. For some Boomers, full retirement age is defined by Social Security as 65, for others 66 or 67. But many “retired” Boomers are or plan to continue working.

It was June 1970, New York City. I had just graduated from a Cincinnati high school and was riding in a taxicab with my friend Mary Gene, heading to Star Lake Camp for a summer job.

The radio was on: