"My granddaughter’s husband is a psychologist and he says that my whole life I have been practicing mindfulness. I come by it naturally. I take life as it comes."
I love that she's all "younger friends are important" and goes on to mention someone who's 85. I'm 60, this makes me feel good about my friends in their 50s.
I loved hearing Dorothy's story for so many reasons but probably the biggest one hits me is this. I became friends about 4 years ago with a couple in their 80s. I saw them when I was walking my dog, seeing the care they took in each other. Move to 2 years later and the wife had passed due to Parkinson's disease.
Then her husband started sitting in his garage, with the door open, whittling or painting and saying hi to everyone who passed by. My dog and I began visiting him and now we are very dear friends, me at age 66 and my friend 20 years older. He misses his wife deeply and I hear that pain, so I resonate with the underlying feeling of despair of living alone in today's world.
Similar to Dorothy, he has lived life large and had grand fun and adventures as a young man, a father, and especially as an empty nester with his 2nd wife of 40 years. He still gets out and about taking care of his needs as a homeowner, a winter snowbird, a weekly golfer, a father and grandparent. And yet now is at the mercy of the aging in his body. His perspective and enthusiasm for the world are ageless and inspiring to me.
So with all that, I absolutely treasure hearing the stories of his life adventures, being a friend, and supporting each other. And how enriched my life has been since finding this dear friend.
Oh my god what a gorgeous person, tap-dancing, sitting in the joint after 12, saying "come on that's a crazy question" ha. And her beautiful marriage! All of it, I think this might be my favorite.
Oh my gosh, Dorothy, thank you for sharing your life with us! This was the first thing I read this morning pre-dawn, just out of my tent on the shoreline of the Olympic Peninsula in remote Washington State. Before news. Before journal. And I was riveted and inspired to continue on maybe another thirty or so years myself because Look. At. You!!!! Out with your pals at midnight! Living with the love of your life and dancing! Wearing the coolest clothes! Writing! And thank you, yet again, Sari, for introducing me to all these lovely elders (and those younger elders too).
What a person! Talk about goals. I would have liked more context about why she didn't divorce her husband when he offered it - for someone who doesn't want to be unhappy (relatable), she could have lived the rest of her life without someone she knew she deeply loved. She must have had a reason (propriety?) - I want to know what it is!
This made me so happy, and also a bit sad, for the poignancy of her great love. To be able to say you lived your life in it. Not in front of it, or behind it but right there in all its beauty and heartbreak.
I very badly needed to hear the parts about 'I still curse and didn't change my personality for anybody.' You go on with your bad self, Dorothy, you are absolute goals-! Thank you, Sari, for sending her our way.
I always read these questionnaires and wonder who my aging role model would be… I think I’ve found her.
Love it!
“I don’t like to be unhappy so I avoid situations that make me unhappy’. Words to live by.
Amen.
I know, right?? Who knew it was so simple! I'm smacking my forehead.
Dorothy is so compelling and interesting- this is my favorite Oldster article so far❤️
❤️
I'm 78, and I NEEDED to read this today. So thank you all for living this, writing it, and running it.
<3
I love that she's all "younger friends are important" and goes on to mention someone who's 85. I'm 60, this makes me feel good about my friends in their 50s.
I know! "Old" and "Young" really are relative terms.
I loved hearing Dorothy's story for so many reasons but probably the biggest one hits me is this. I became friends about 4 years ago with a couple in their 80s. I saw them when I was walking my dog, seeing the care they took in each other. Move to 2 years later and the wife had passed due to Parkinson's disease.
Then her husband started sitting in his garage, with the door open, whittling or painting and saying hi to everyone who passed by. My dog and I began visiting him and now we are very dear friends, me at age 66 and my friend 20 years older. He misses his wife deeply and I hear that pain, so I resonate with the underlying feeling of despair of living alone in today's world.
Similar to Dorothy, he has lived life large and had grand fun and adventures as a young man, a father, and especially as an empty nester with his 2nd wife of 40 years. He still gets out and about taking care of his needs as a homeowner, a winter snowbird, a weekly golfer, a father and grandparent. And yet now is at the mercy of the aging in his body. His perspective and enthusiasm for the world are ageless and inspiring to me.
So with all that, I absolutely treasure hearing the stories of his life adventures, being a friend, and supporting each other. And how enriched my life has been since finding this dear friend.
beautiful !
thank you for introducing me to Dorothy. I enjoyed every word, didn't want it to end, and would love to be one of her younger friends.
Me, too! <3
me too !
Oh my god what a gorgeous person, tap-dancing, sitting in the joint after 12, saying "come on that's a crazy question" ha. And her beautiful marriage! All of it, I think this might be my favorite.
Oh my gosh, Dorothy, thank you for sharing your life with us! This was the first thing I read this morning pre-dawn, just out of my tent on the shoreline of the Olympic Peninsula in remote Washington State. Before news. Before journal. And I was riveted and inspired to continue on maybe another thirty or so years myself because Look. At. You!!!! Out with your pals at midnight! Living with the love of your life and dancing! Wearing the coolest clothes! Writing! And thank you, yet again, Sari, for introducing me to all these lovely elders (and those younger elders too).
She's amazing. So glad to know you enjoy these, Kirie!!!
What a person! Talk about goals. I would have liked more context about why she didn't divorce her husband when he offered it - for someone who doesn't want to be unhappy (relatable), she could have lived the rest of her life without someone she knew she deeply loved. She must have had a reason (propriety?) - I want to know what it is!
So marvelous! I enjoyed reading about your zest for life. I'm glad you had a wonderful husband who lived to be 100.
So thoughtful and fun. One of the best interviews
What a love story!
Amazing, right?
This made me so happy, and also a bit sad, for the poignancy of her great love. To be able to say you lived your life in it. Not in front of it, or behind it but right there in all its beauty and heartbreak.
Yes. Well said.
OMG. Talk about the right attitude. Dorothy is my new idol. <3
mine too I just watched loads of her Instagram after reading this
I very badly needed to hear the parts about 'I still curse and didn't change my personality for anybody.' You go on with your bad self, Dorothy, you are absolute goals-! Thank you, Sari, for sending her our way.
<3