A Retirement Lifestyle Blog for Living Your Best Life After 60

Jean and I were blessed to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with our kids and grandkids on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Ireland this past week. It was one of those memories we'll cherish for the rest of our lives. We explored almost the whole Island—North, South, East, and West. We visited Dublin, Belfast, charming little villages, castles, and churches. Among my favorites were the pubs. We enjoyed everything from a boys' trip and a Jameson whiskey tasting to delicious

Over the years, I've heard and given just about every piece of marriage advice imaginable. "Happy wife, happy life." "Never go to bed angry." "Communication is the key." There's some truth in all of those sayings. But after more than 50 years of marriage—and after watching a lot of other marriages—I have come to believe that great marriages are built on something much deeper. The world offers all kinds of advice. It tells us to find the right person, stay compatible, keep the

As we get older…wait a minute…what was I going to say? Oh yeah. It seems that somewhere along the way, many of us begin worrying about our memory. We misplace our keys, forget why we walked into a room, or spend ten minutes looking for our glasses only to discover they're sitting on top of our head. Just this past week, I was talking with a friend who seemed genuinely discouraged because she kept forgetting things—especially where she had laid her keys. Wanting to cheer her u

I was making my way around the machines at the gym the other morning when one T-shirt stopped me in my tracks. Across the back, in big white letters, it read: "SHUT UP LIVER... YOU'RE FINE." I couldn't help but laugh. Then it hit me. That shirt may be funny, but it also describes how many of us have treated our bodies over the years. Our knees start complaining? "You'll be fine." Our back reminds us we're not 30 anymore? "Just sleep on it." We run out of breath walking up a

This morning my Legacy Journal texted me a simple question. "What's your favorite thing about having a daughter?" It didn't take me long to answer. But before I tell you, there's something I've wanted to say for a long time. If there's one thing every parent should do before leaving this world, it's this: Tell your children why they're special to you. Don't assume they know. Tell them. Tell them often. Tell them while they can still hear your voice. To the best of my knowledg

There are a few things nobody warned me about retirement. Nobody mentioned that I'd start getting excited about a new garden hose, find myself comparing bird feeders online, or that I'd become strangely interested in the price of blueberries. And nobody told me that I'd be throwing away so much perfectly good food. When you're raising a family, leftovers disappear overnight. But once the kids are gone and you're cooking for one or two people, it's a completely different story

If you listened only to the headlines, you might think America was falling apart. Yet every year, people from every corner of the globe risk everything for the opportunity to live here. That raises an interesting question. If America is so terrible, why do so many people still want to come here? Don't misunderstand me. I know our country isn't perfect. We've made mistakes. We have problems that need to be addressed, and we should never stop striving to become a better nation

If someone had told me years ago that one of my favorite summer dinners would be a plate full of fruit, cottage cheese, chia seeds, and unsweetened applesauce, I probably would have smiled politely... and then asked, "Where's the real food?" Well, consider me a little wiser. This is my dinner this evening. This plate has become one of my favorite summer meals. It's refreshing, nutritious, really fills you up, and requires no cooking—which is a wonderful bonus when the Georg

When Someone Says, “You Sure Look Younger”. A few months ago, I turned 71. Or did I? When my age comes up at the gym, people are often surprised. Not because I look younger—my mirror and I have already settled that debate—but because my active lifestyle doesn't seem to match the number on my birth certificate. Sometimes they'll ask how old I am, then give me a look that suggests I've either miscounted the candles on my birthday cake or borrowed someone else's driver's license

This morning, the weather forecast confidently assured us that the rain wouldn't arrive until mid-afternoon. Apparently, the rain didn't get the memo. With that encouraging forecast, we headed to Helen for our scheduled hike around the Unicoi Trail Loop. But when Jean and I arrived at 8:45 a.m., it was already raining, and judging by the muddy trail, it had been raining for quite a while. Unfortunately, I had to make a few disappointing phone calls to let our hikers know the

"Show me your five closest friends, and I'll show you the person you're becoming." That's true at 17, and it's just as true at 71. Most people think peer pressure ends when they graduate from high school. At 71, I've discovered that's simply not true. The people around us still influence how we think, what we do, and who we become. The only difference is that we now have the freedom to choose our peers. When I think of peer pressure, I remember water skiing and wrecking a boa

How I Went From 20 Medications a Day to One: The Lifestyle Change That Gave Me My Life Back For the first time in thirty years, my annual physical showed that all my blood work values were within the normal range. That may not sound remarkable to some people, but for me, it felt like a small miracle. Just eight years ago, I was taking 20 different medications. They included prescriptions for cardiovascular disease, medications for my stomach and esophagus, H2 blockers, iron i

Recently, my 4-year-old grandson, Malachi, did something he knew he shouldn't do. In what I believed was a calm and measured tone, I said, "Malachi, that was not nice. Don't do that again." Looking up at me with complete sincerity, he asked, "Papaw, are you happy?" Trying to stay serious, I replied, "Yes, I'm happy. Don't I look happy?" Without missing a beat, he answered, "No." I reminded him again not to do it, then walked into my office, shut the door, and laughed until te

Trying out a new glute machine for the first time Standing for long periods, carrying a case of water, or lifting my grandsons used to cause some real discomfort in my lower back, leaving me sore the next morning. Along with that, I noticed my back was starting to curve more, which I call an "old man's hump". And, although my weight was correct, I could not get rid of the lower belly fat that always made my clothes feel tight. However, about 8 months ago, while obtaining a p

When Layla, my only granddaughter, was just 4 years old and sitting in the back seat of our car, she suddenly exclaimed during a conversation that Jean and I were having, "Papaw, we don't use the 'S' word!" Panic came over me as I turned to Jean with a bewildered look and asked, "Did I just say that?" Jean replied, "I didn't hear that." I looked in the rearview and said, "Baby girl, I don't think I said that bad word." Whispering in my ear, she said, "Yes, you did, Papaw, you

Larry: "Hey, sweetie, I came across an article stating that if a 71-year-old man can perform five chair squats in seven seconds with his arms crossed over his chest, he's in better shape than 95% of men his age." Jean: "Really?" Larry: "Yes! Can you time me?" Jean: "Sure." Larry: "Just let me know when to start." Jean: "Go!" Larry: (Very quickly counting times he is up and down) "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven." (Stops and, in an aggravated

Perhaps life was more exciting "back in the day." You went to bed eager to wake up. You loved your job, were engaged to be married, or had just welcomed your first child. But now, in your 60s, 70s, or 80s, life has changed. Gradually, the colors have faded from your days. Now, you wake up with aches and pains, and it's not easy to get excited about today's doctor's visit. The Key To Getting Excited Is Remembering Sometimes we forget that everything in life is limited. Each

One of the most fun things I do a couple of times a week is turn some of my memories into a printed book with audio and video clips. It is a simple process in which I receive a weekly email prompt with questions. I then click the link and record audio or video answers. AI then converts these recordings into a physical, hardcover book with pictures and stories from my life for my kids and grandkids. When I read this morning’s life story (Remento) prompt, “Who was a teacher f

In case you think you're too old, by definition, a follower of Jesus keeps taking steps, no matter how long you have been following. As I get older, I may not run as fast, but I don't have to. I take bigger steps. To get the most out of our spiritual walk with Christ after 60, we all need to take 6000 to 8,000 steps a day. Why? Your spiritual health, like every aspect of your life, is directly tied to your physical health. One key factor in maintaining my physical fitness is

As I was reading my devotional this morning, the song by Air Supply came to mind. "I Can't Believe My Eyes" is a common expression of shock, disbelief, or amazement at seeing something unexpected, such as a stunning sight, a long-lost person, or an unbelievable event . One remarkable aspect of aging is that, while your physical eyesight may deteriorate, your spiritual vision often becomes clearer. When I was younger, I thought that "walking by faith" meant feeling spiritu