January 2026
A New Chapter of Empowerment
Seven years ago, I retired from my position as an associate professor of communication. Then, 3 ½ years ago, I became a widow. Since then, I have gained a new understanding of empowerment. I published my first book, Refusing to Be Invisible: Life Planning Empowerment Strategies for Women 50+ a few months after my husband passed. I also drafted a memoir about widowhood that I am now ready to polish and think about publishing.
I have learned that I am capable of doing things outside of my areas of expertise and comfort zones, such as repairing faucets, sink leaks, replacing broken floor tile, repairing my sprinkler syste
m, and just about anything else non-electrical that needs attention. I’ve learned how to use different power tools and have gained some skills as a landscaper. Last summer, I built a large water feature and pathway with gravel and tortoise molds. I did everything myself, including finding, hauling, and placing all the rocks I used.
I have learned to be comfortable as a solo ager (though I do share my house with a large English Labrador Retriever named Ranger). While I have some close friends that I see regularly, I enjoy my solitude as well. I like to think, read, write, and be creative.
I am interested in learning what little I can about quantum physics, since I have no background in this area. I also like reading about artificial intelligence and where we might be headed in the next ten years (personally, I am hoping AI and robotics have advanced enough by then to provide support for older adults in their homes.
This past year, I was pleased to have a chapter I wrote included in an international handbook on aging. I also had a piece published in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book, and another article or two published through Next Avenue. Also, after six years of writing and publishing the BoomerBestU Newsletter, I finished my 75th and final issue in November.
Last week, I ordered a digital piano. It has been over twenty years since I regularly played the piano. When my new piano arrived, I put the framework together and have been enjoying it to the fullest. I’m also doing some painting again, as I did in my younger years. I feel renewed and alive! I am empowered to live life to the fullest.
Every chapter in life can be good if we choose to make it so. We have the power to choose!