Marc Blesoff was a criminal defense attorney for 35 years. Eight years ago, he began facilitating Conscious Aging workshops. He says that has helped him melt the armor he’d built up as a defense lawyer. He’s a founding member of Courageus (formerly A Tribe Called Aging), which defines itself as a group of “activists and thinkers trying to understand and change our culture’s outlook, policies and fears about aging and dying.”
The Few, the Proud, the Older September 17, 2024 - I recently had the opportunity to take my 11-year-old granddaughter to her softball tournament in Des Moines, IA. Just me and her for the weekend. Most of the grandparents reading this will know why I am smiling. Because of a…
Good News That’s Also Disappointing August 28, 2024 - The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released a report titled “Aging in the United States: A Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging.” The report outlines steps to create a national effort to foster positive…
‘Othering’ Other People June 25, 2024 - My friend Jack called me a few weeks ago to share an experience. He’d been at a public meeting at the library, seated at a table with three forward-facing chairs. He was sitting in the chair on the left, a…
Three Ages January 31, 2024 - I think I am three ages; my chronological age, the age that I feel, and the age that I look. Of these, chronology is the objective one. It’s just math, right? But what does the number of the Earth’s revolutions…
My Own Ageism and Ableism October 20, 2023 - These days, I see my possible future self everywhere. Most of the time, it’s the possibilities I’m dreading that jump out at me first. At the gym, there are always some people moving very deliberately and with much more effort…
The Beauty of Our Own Impermanence July 14, 2023 - Since my heart surgery last year, I’ve lost weight, I exercise daily and I am energetic and forward-looking. A few weeks ago, working out with a trainer, I did full squats on a balance ball, something I never even knew…
I Think Aging with Intention Saved My Life March 3, 2023 - We have a Berkey water filter in our kitchen, and it seems to be empty whenever I’m thirsty, so I’m used to filling it back up. It takes three full blender pitchers to fill it, and it’s just one of…
Never Too Late for a Good Shave January 26, 2023 - Last week I noticed that I was running really low on shaving cream and I made a mental note to buy some more. That reminded me of when and how I bought the almost-empty tube in the first place. It…
Ageism: A Public Health Issue December 13, 2022 - Smoking cigarettes causes cancer. Secondhand smoke does too. Most people read this and think, “Duh. Everybody knows that.” It wasn’t that long ago when people smoked cigarettes on airplanes. Do you remember when the people sitting at the table next…
Can’t See the Stars During the Daytime November 11, 2022 - I just finished reading a really good book, entitled Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live (2022), by Becca Levy, PhD. I recommend it. It is about Levy’s groundbreaking research at…
Old Is Beautiful September 9, 2022 - Last month, Joni Mitchell performed a 13-song set at the Newport Folk Festival. It was her first time back to Newport in 53 years. It was her first, full-length, live set in over 20 years. It was her first public…
Percolating Conversations June 21, 2022 - One of the ongoing workshops that I facilitate is an all-men’s group. For the last several years, once a month, eight of us get together. Camaraderie, angst, disagreement and humor circulate around the general topic of aging. It is a…
Aging behind Bars April 26, 2022 - The United States has the largest prison population in the world. What’s that got to do with aging? you may ask. Well, people 50 and older are the fastest-growing segment of the US prison population, increasing 25 percent from 2009 to…
We Can Teach This Old Dog New Tricks March 11, 2022 - Over the past several months, I’ve had some tight, lower-back pain that has limited my mobility. Even after consulting my doctor and stretching, I just couldn’t shake it, so I decided to try something new for me. I’ve started to…
Being with My Aging February 18, 2022 - It is a poignant time of year and a poignant time of life. Aging can give us the opportunity to be aware of what we may have previously taken for granted. For me, the recent holiday season highlighted relationships and…
Life Stories December 27, 2021 - Five years ago, I scoffed when I heard older people comment about starting to read their local obituary columns. I smirked to myself as I wondered if they had anything better to do with their time. Recently, I was startled…
So What If I’m Old November 16, 2021 - Every so often, I have a flash of insight about my own internalized ageism. When it happens, I am both disappointed and pleased. To set the stage: I am driving to a doctor’s appointment at a major downtown medical center.…
In the Land of Postadulthood October 15, 2021 - Last month, I returned to the place where I grew up, to the lake where swimming had been banned earlier this summer. The cyanotoxins had cleared, so every morning I went for a swim and a kayak ride. This year,…
Me and We August 19, 2021 - A few weeks ago, my granddaughter and I took a summertime walk to the local market. On the way home, the afternoon sun was at our backs. In front of me, I saw the shadow of an eight-year-old girl and…
Hours of Angst July 20, 2021 - I was just this side of asleep. I was lying in bed, early morning, remembering my just-waking thoughts. I had realized two really good points regarding a thorny concept I’d been pondering for weeks. It was a breakthrough and very…
