"It’s like life is this cosmic compost pile, turning our shit into something beautiful and life-giving. I feel so lucky to live long enough to witness it."
Sari - This essay by Priscilla Stuckey is beautiful. I am turning 67 on Nov. 25th (next week), so her comments about being 67 touch very close to home. She has an incredible - and inspiring - perspective on life. I predict I will read this essay repeatedly to draw from her wisdom. Thank you Priscilla and Sari!
Hi Donna! Thank you so much for pointing me to this essay in our Zoom this morning. What a wonderful way to frame things! I think this is my favorite: "Some of my worst decisions have worked themselves over time into bringing the most benefits—but it took several decades for them to ripen in this way. It’s truly a gift to live long enough to watch the transformation. It’s like life is this cosmic compost pile, turning our shit into something beautiful and life-giving. I feel so lucky to live long enough to witness it." What a great perspective! Wishing you a very happy birthday, Donna!
“Who am I to judge what was best for my younger self?” Thank you for this, Priscilla. What a gift it was to read your words on this gray New York City Wednesday morning. We are tethered by these threads from here to Hawaii and in every direction skyward and oceanward.
So much of this resonates for me -- trust and joy and the scary task of reinventing your life after illness and divorce. Thank you -- am going to reread this at lunch.
I loved this interview! My almost 27 year old daughter was diagnosed with autism 10 years ago and the diagnosis explained so much. We have always said she was born 40 years old. She sounds very similar to Priscilla. I hope my daughter keeps growing and feeling good about herself, the way Priscilla did.
Gorgeous writing! I've loved the life-as-compost metaphor for a while now -- I think I first meaningfully encountered it in Donna Haraway's writing -- there's something so wonderful to me about the idea that our lives are messy and mixed-up and blended into the lives of others (other people, other versions of ourselves, other creatures, other aspects of the world), how that mixed-up mess is always changing, always decomposing into itself in ways that nourish what is growing and what will grow next.
So beautifully said, PL! And I had no idea it was in Donna Haraway—a wise voice. It seems to me that compost shows us exactly how to deal with the social/political messes too: “in ways that nourish what is growing and what will grow next,” as you said. If this guided our steps…
“I have to count my spoons extra carefully”…. was just what I needed to hear today and remember. I have been doing “things” that I enjoy, making decisions about a house project, etc etc. Yesterday the life drained out of me. So disappointing as I have been feeling full and healthier. I was counting my spoons since the beginning of the month. “Would you like to go …. with me.” No, I just want to stay home. Many days my response was that. Then I transitioned to … oh okay I can do that. Thank you for the confirmation that I need to be me. And stick to it!!
I love reading the various profiles on Oldster but Priscilla's has resonated with me the most because of her insight into herself and her personal interests. Thanks for the share, Priscilla. I will look out for your books.
So very beautiful and packed full of gems of wisdom. I will be re-reading this for a while. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, experiences, and life-affirming observations.
I was diagnosed at age 6 with ADHD, and was on meds for the next 5 years, as was the mode o' day in the 1970's. I know it has never left me, and now as I am nearing 61 in barely a month, and learning more about autism and its manifestations, I question if that too hasn't been what has also contributed to my feeling like I am wired indeed differently than most in how I feel, perceive, and *especially* react. I am also childfree-by-choice, which at least meant I never had to try and "act normal" and raise and influence another's life, since I'm still working on figuring out my own...and wonder if I ever will.
Mahalo nui loa Priscilla, as a fellow Hawaii-dweller, for this insightful and thought-provoking interview (and many thanks to you Sari as well, for your Substack!)
Think I'm going to be hunting down a couple memoirs! 😊
Aloha, Sher, so happy to meet you! Happy birthday soon, and may you have a wonderful new year. If you want to read more about my journey with autism, you can go to the Nature :: Spirit main page https://priscillastuckey.substack.com/, and check out the “Being Autistic” tab at the top of the page. If you have questions, feel free to message me. Mahalo for your comment!
"Even age-related damage can sometimes be healed, or at least improved" Ms. Stuckey, you are well on your way by being spiritually centered and embarking on a program of exercise. The only thing left? Eat vegan. I have vegan friends in their eighties who are in much better shape than their forties.
Hi, Richard, there are so many ways toward a rich and fulfilling life, aren’t there? And so many of them start with listening to the body. I can appreciate that certain bodies might work better on vegan food, but mine is not one of them. And aging for me has meant progressively less ability to digest plant material. Meanwhile, I remember that Louisiana red beans & rice that friends introduced me to in my 20s and I could digest then. Oh, my, how I loved it!
So wonderful to see you here, Priscilla!! I love your story of coming into yourself and am glad to have been around for parts of that. Aren't the 60s great?
Unexpectedly great, yes! And to think when I was in my late 40s staring down 50, I wondered if anything comes after. 🤣 A big part of the juice to write this came from wanting to let others know, in case they wonder the same. Rosana, I’m so glad we shared parts of this crazy journey in person! Thanks for being here.
Sari - This essay by Priscilla Stuckey is beautiful. I am turning 67 on Nov. 25th (next week), so her comments about being 67 touch very close to home. She has an incredible - and inspiring - perspective on life. I predict I will read this essay repeatedly to draw from her wisdom. Thank you Priscilla and Sari!
So glad this resonated, Donna! Happy birthday next week!
Thank you Sari! I plan to celebrate this birthday, and not “sweep it under the rug.”
Yes!
Hi Donna! Thank you so much for pointing me to this essay in our Zoom this morning. What a wonderful way to frame things! I think this is my favorite: "Some of my worst decisions have worked themselves over time into bringing the most benefits—but it took several decades for them to ripen in this way. It’s truly a gift to live long enough to watch the transformation. It’s like life is this cosmic compost pile, turning our shit into something beautiful and life-giving. I feel so lucky to live long enough to witness it." What a great perspective! Wishing you a very happy birthday, Donna!
Happy birthday, Donna! Glad to hear you can relate. Have a great new year, and thanks for reading.
Priscilla - Thank you! Your essay this morning has led me to ponder lots of issues, which is always good!
“Who am I to judge what was best for my younger self?” Thank you for this, Priscilla. What a gift it was to read your words on this gray New York City Wednesday morning. We are tethered by these threads from here to Hawaii and in every direction skyward and oceanward.
You’re welcome, Carla, and so glad to hear you connect with it. Thank goodness for all those threads, yes?
So much of this resonates for me -- trust and joy and the scary task of reinventing your life after illness and divorce. Thank you -- am going to reread this at lunch.
So much reinventing! So much hard work. Thanks, Tracy, for relating.
I loved this interview! My almost 27 year old daughter was diagnosed with autism 10 years ago and the diagnosis explained so much. We have always said she was born 40 years old. She sounds very similar to Priscilla. I hope my daughter keeps growing and feeling good about herself, the way Priscilla did.
Jay, recently I was diagnosed with mild autism, and many of Priscilla's responses really resonate. Glad this has been clarifying for you!
It explains some things, doesn’t it? May it support your path, Sari.
With people who get her and support her, like you, Jay, she will. That bottom-line respect and welcome make all the difference, in my experience.
"I have to count my spoons extra carefully..." I'd never heard this phrase before. Here's the explanation: https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
Thank you!
Thanks for the link, Lisa! It’s such a handy shorthand.
I like this: "I didn’t expect life to keep opening, and opening, and opening." My experience too.
It’s magical, isn’t it? Hope it keeps happening for you too, Douglas.
Wonderful and inspiring 💙
🩷
Thanks for letting me know, Sara. Go well.
Gorgeous writing! I've loved the life-as-compost metaphor for a while now -- I think I first meaningfully encountered it in Donna Haraway's writing -- there's something so wonderful to me about the idea that our lives are messy and mixed-up and blended into the lives of others (other people, other versions of ourselves, other creatures, other aspects of the world), how that mixed-up mess is always changing, always decomposing into itself in ways that nourish what is growing and what will grow next.
So beautifully said, PL! And I had no idea it was in Donna Haraway—a wise voice. It seems to me that compost shows us exactly how to deal with the social/political messes too: “in ways that nourish what is growing and what will grow next,” as you said. If this guided our steps…
“I have to count my spoons extra carefully”…. was just what I needed to hear today and remember. I have been doing “things” that I enjoy, making decisions about a house project, etc etc. Yesterday the life drained out of me. So disappointing as I have been feeling full and healthier. I was counting my spoons since the beginning of the month. “Would you like to go …. with me.” No, I just want to stay home. Many days my response was that. Then I transitioned to … oh okay I can do that. Thank you for the confirmation that I need to be me. And stick to it!!
Yes, just keep listening to who you are, tami. In my experience that deep respect pays off in big ways.
Thank you both for this, a wonderful edition.
Thanks, John, glad you enjoyed! For the rest of you, I've already thanked John for this—he inspired me to take a crack at the questionnaire with his own edition a few months ago, which I enjoyed a lot: https://oldster.substack.com/p/this-is-almost-73-john-lovie-responds
That's so great to hear! So many parallels in our stories.
I love reading the various profiles on Oldster but Priscilla's has resonated with me the most because of her insight into herself and her personal interests. Thanks for the share, Priscilla. I will look out for your books.
I'm glad to hear that you connect, Helen! If you read the books, please feel free to contact me anytime with your insights or questions.
Thank you, very much, Priscilla 😀
What a fabulous interview. I can certainly relate to recovery in nature. Thank you 🙏😊
Isn't it miraculous what nature does? Thanks, Simone, for your good words.
So very beautiful and packed full of gems of wisdom. I will be re-reading this for a while. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, experiences, and life-affirming observations.
Thank you for your kind attention, Mary Beth. Go well!
I was diagnosed at age 6 with ADHD, and was on meds for the next 5 years, as was the mode o' day in the 1970's. I know it has never left me, and now as I am nearing 61 in barely a month, and learning more about autism and its manifestations, I question if that too hasn't been what has also contributed to my feeling like I am wired indeed differently than most in how I feel, perceive, and *especially* react. I am also childfree-by-choice, which at least meant I never had to try and "act normal" and raise and influence another's life, since I'm still working on figuring out my own...and wonder if I ever will.
Mahalo nui loa Priscilla, as a fellow Hawaii-dweller, for this insightful and thought-provoking interview (and many thanks to you Sari as well, for your Substack!)
Think I'm going to be hunting down a couple memoirs! 😊
Aloha, Sher, so happy to meet you! Happy birthday soon, and may you have a wonderful new year. If you want to read more about my journey with autism, you can go to the Nature :: Spirit main page https://priscillastuckey.substack.com/, and check out the “Being Autistic” tab at the top of the page. If you have questions, feel free to message me. Mahalo for your comment!
"Even age-related damage can sometimes be healed, or at least improved" Ms. Stuckey, you are well on your way by being spiritually centered and embarking on a program of exercise. The only thing left? Eat vegan. I have vegan friends in their eighties who are in much better shape than their forties.
Hi, Richard, there are so many ways toward a rich and fulfilling life, aren’t there? And so many of them start with listening to the body. I can appreciate that certain bodies might work better on vegan food, but mine is not one of them. And aging for me has meant progressively less ability to digest plant material. Meanwhile, I remember that Louisiana red beans & rice that friends introduced me to in my 20s and I could digest then. Oh, my, how I loved it!
So wonderful to see you here, Priscilla!! I love your story of coming into yourself and am glad to have been around for parts of that. Aren't the 60s great?
Unexpectedly great, yes! And to think when I was in my late 40s staring down 50, I wondered if anything comes after. 🤣 A big part of the juice to write this came from wanting to let others know, in case they wonder the same. Rosana, I’m so glad we shared parts of this crazy journey in person! Thanks for being here.