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- October 2022
October 2022
A Life Well Lived
Hello friends! Remember me? I know. It’s been a while since I've been in touch. At least you can’t accuse me of flooding your inbox! So, what’s the deal with this newsletter from SecondFifty? I realize I haven’t been a reliable communicator. As I consider my modest but growing readership, I find myself so concerned about getting things right, and bringing you valuable and helpful information, that I end up frozen with concern that whatever I send out won't be good enough. I imagine all of you out there with your fingers on the unsubscribe link, and I want to measure up!Obviously, I need to get over this, so I’m just going to forge ahead. In my defense, this summer has been challenging. My mother succumbed to pancreatic cancer in June. Fortunately, she was spared the crippling pain that this malady usually inflicts. After a lifetime of good health, the cancer caught up with her in her 94th year. Her demise was quick, just a matter of months, and she was beautifully taken care of by family and my dad, who survived her and continues his remarkable run at 93. He’s stoic but lonely, as you would expect after 69 years of marriage to his life-mate. Ann Delavan Harrop began losing her sight to glaucoma in her forties, was legally blind in her fifties, and could see almost nothing in the last twenty years. But that didn't stop her from engaging with life, traveling with family, playing piano, and writing poetry. She did her daily exercises with vigor. If you joined us for dinner, I would warn you that my mom was blind, and to be sensitive to that. After the meal, you would likely pull me aside and chastise me… “I thought you said your mother was blind?” Well, yes, but she doesn’t let it define her. She just moves beyond it with a force of will I can’t really comprehend. And so, to most who interacted with her, blindness wasn’t evident. She wasn’t bitter. I never once heard her complain about her loss of sight. Not once. She never gave up or gave in or broke down or called it quits. Even as cancer sapped her of life. She was kind, intelligent and curious. Positive always. Mom was comfortable in her own skin. She didn’t envy others or compare, wasn’t jealous or petty. My mother was an inspiration right to the end of her life, and will be for the rest of mine. A powerful testament to aging gracefully, even in the face of a devastating affliction.Ann Harrop spent many years in Africa in the foreign service, and was an animal lover. Here are two of the hundreds of poems she began writing in the last years of her life. AN ELEPHANT'S DEATHWhen an elephant diesOther elephants come aroundBoth relatives and strangersCome to the hallowed groundThey hope to raise the body -With tusks and trunks they tryThey really seem to be grievingThat one of them must dieA young female mourns her motherNot understanding what's gone wrongBut she is surrounded by familyTo which she will always belongFor a long time they come backthough there's little left to revereBut these sensitive creatures respectThe one who has sadly died hereThey stand there in hushed silenceShowing reverence for the deadThen they leave the fallen giantAnd together they all move aheadIT'S TIMEWhen the fireflies put out their lampsAnd the cicadas chant no moreIt's time to leave the balconyIt's time to close the door
National Parks Lifetime Pass
I came across this last week and its pretty cool. Did you know that if you are aged 62 or older you can obtain lifetime admission to national parks and federal recreational sites for a one-time payment of $80? A regular annual pass costs $80, so this is a great deal! Here’s the link to the
Scroll down to the section titled Senior Pass.
The Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers honor the Senior Pass at sites where entrance or standard amenity fees are charged.
The New Frontiers of Diet and Nutrition: Virtual Panel.Friday, October 14, 2022 2:00 - 3:00 Eastern Time
The Stanford University Center on Longevity will host this 60-minute zoom panel next week.
I’ve been impressed with Stanford’s programs. You can find replays of their previous panels
If you miss this live event, it will also be available in the replay section in several weeks.
Here's a description of the panel topic:
Confused by all the stories about what to eat... and what not to eat? Worried that your busy life is leading you to unhealthy choices? Concerned about the relationship between diet and declining health in the United States? So are we, but we’re bringing together three extraordinary experts to help. Join us on Friday, October 14 at 2:00 PM ET for the first Longevity Project x Next Avenue webinar to explore the new frontiers of diet and nutrition. Nationally recognized nutrition expert Maya Feller and Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author Toby Amidor will discuss what kind of issues their clients face, their recommendations for healthful eating, and the practical challenges that busy people face in constructing a healthy diet and life. Stanford Professor of Medicine Christopher Gardner will share insights into the latest nutrition research and help us explore how we can better support healthy eating for ourselves, our families and our communities.
A Longevity Masterclass: The Rich Roll Podcast
Rich assembles excerpts of conversations he's had with various guests into a 90-minute podcast about longevity. Specifically, "how to age healthfully, how to biologically promote longevity, how to embrace your innate potential for growth beyond the prescribed productive years, and how to cultivate a true life-long expansion of self. From science and technology to diet and mindset, there are choices you can make to access not simply the longest lifespan possible, but also the greatest health span your body is capable of. There are real, tangible, practical methods we can employ to get the maximum value out of our bodies and therefore our lives.” (Rich Roll)
Some of the conversations are a little “cutting edge” or, dare I say, “out there." I'm skeptical of the concept of
longevity escape velocity
discussed with one guest. Still, for the most part, this is a thought-provoking overview of current research and thinking around aging well. Worth a listen.
Stay Strong. Age Well.
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Who sent this letter:
I'm George Harrop, founder of
—an online resource for people who want to prioritize their health and wellbeing by taking a common-sense approach to nutrition and fitness. Many modern middle-aged people have spent the previous decades building careers and raising families.
Now we're committed to getting and staying fit during the second half of our lives. We're on a mission to age with more agility and ease! Join us →
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