Recently I have been reading and enjoying a new book by Carol Orsborn, called "Fierce With Age: Chasing God and Squirrels in Brooklyn."

It's her 21st book -- I can hardly believe she's written that many -- and it will be published as an ebook about a month from now -- then in hardcover in early May.

This is a fascinating book, and it not only resonates with me, but it keeps coming back to me during the day, as I go about my normal activities.

Carol says "Fierce with Age: Chasing God and Squirrels in Brooklyn" is the story of a tumultuous year she spent transiting into "the wild space beyond midlife."

She writes that she suddenly realized that she had become something else entirely than the person (or as she calls it, "brand and identity") that had defined her over her prior six decades.

This is interesting, since she'd accomplished a lot during that time, including a doctorate in religion and status as Boomer marketing expert and author of bestselling books.

The book describes how, during a year in which she and her husband moved from their comfortable canyon home in California to a penthouse in New York City, she came to realize that she had changed, and in some ways, become invisible. Also, she seemed to have lost her ability to talk to God...

Additionally, she found that she was living in a spiritual desert: She was angry, she was self-pitying, she was vain and whining. And she realized that despite all the books she had written on aging successfully, she actually still harbored ingrained fears and prejudices about the aged. Which meant that realizing her more mortality brought on a feeling of hopelessness.

As a result of her efforts to re-orient herself, she turned to books written by scholars, sages and mystics on spirituality and aging, while at the same time becoming inspired by taking her squirrel-hunting dog Lucky to teh park.

Eventually she came to appreciate aging as the initiation of a fresh life stage bearing with it all the hallmarks of all the previous life stages combined: the high anticipation, the celebration and the bold, outright terror.

Some would say she embraced her inner crone, though I don't think she ever puts it that way...

It's a thought-provoking book, and I can't wait for it to be published, so every Boomer woman can read it.

Meanwhile, let's talk: Who else is feeling this way? Right now on Facebook, several of our BWS members are discussing the frustrations of going to the store and not remembering to buy everything needed.

What else bothers you about aging these days? Let's talk about it here...

The fact that time is short, weighs heavy on my mind. I've so much I want to accomplish and feel like there's so little time to do it.

I don't have the energy or stamina I used to have; and it's much harder to lose those pounds that seem to appear out of nowhere. I don't think the forgetting stuff is necessarily age related, but it is annoying all the same.

And on a positive note, I'm much better at self-reflection. I can get away with saying or doing things I couldn't have in my 30s or 40s. I am much more comfortable in my own skin in spite of the new aches and pains that come and go on a daily basis. I am counting down to retirement next year and am so looking forward to writing more, starting a garden, going out more to take photographs, and so much more.

Agree with new aches and pains showing up regularly. Even young people forget things. Don't think that's an age thing. I'm happier now than I've ever been. It's nice to be retired. Love that.

I don't feel the same aches and pains yet..but I know if I don't do something about it, it'll get worse.

Since I'm still working, what does annoy me as someone who has been in the workforce for awhile: Do I have to deal with these office/organizational politics when I only have another decade of work? Unfortunately decade is a long time, work-wise.

What is satisfying for myself, is to have experienced certain thing career-wise earlier that I don't pine to experience much now.

I do want to get down ....stuff beyond my working years. Am doing stuff but it's all just on weekends and in evenings.

Good thoughts, Orchid. I'm sure one reason you're not reporting terrible aches and pains is your cycling.

Regular exercise is great for keeping aches and pains at bay. We just published an article about this in NABBW. It's called "Change How You Think About Exercise: Change Your Life," and it is by NABBW Associate Jan Cullinane.

I think it is great she's pointing out the IMMEDIATE benefits of exercise, not just promoting the long term gains we know staying active offers us.

I know you appreciate the benefits of regular (and fun) exercise, but not everyone of Boomer age and older does, IMHO.

Personally, I'm one of those people who still has to force myself to get exercise. Even though I know I will feel better when I'm done.

I blame my early training. When I was a girl, it was not "cool" to like gym class, or sweating. (Of course, back then I did enjoy riding my bicycle across town, but to me -- at that time -- riding was not exercise, it was a means to get where I wanted to go.) Weird, huh?

Anyone else remember hating having to wear those ugly blue gym suits in phy ed class? When I was in junior high, we had segregated gym classes -- boys separate from girls -- and we girls professed to absolutely hate the class.

We sabotaged its benefits as often as possible: I remember there were a lot of girls who refused to take off their panty hose for gym class. (They'd put on their white socks over top and don their gym shoes and try to convince the gym teacher they really had bare legs.) Seems so silly now to recall going to all that work for deception.

Additionally, we had girls in the class who would go out of their way NOT to undress and shower when class was over.

Our showers in high school were not stalls or a big room, but a U-shaped gauntlet we were supposed to run through. However, if you zigged and zagged when running, you could come out quite dry and NOT have to spend too much time fixing your hair again before the next class.

Of course, it didn't help that the boys would tease us that they were able to spy on the girls locker room.

Seems so silly these post-Title IX days. Today, girls are free to enjoy sports as much as boys do... I say that is progress.

I doubt if anyone exercises more than I do. Still the aches and pains are there. But I keep going in spite of them. If I didn't exercise, I probably wouldn't be able to move.

I know what you mean, Jabber. Who knew exercise would be so important at this stage in our lives?

Just now jumping into this conversation, which I find fascinating! We all have similar Boomer backgrounds (I love your description of gym class Anne!) but our situations AND our DNA have landed us in different spots. I have to humbly say that I am younger now than I was 5 or 6 years ago. Part of that is that I lost about 50 pounds! But, I believe the main contributing factor was a change in my mind - the way I thought about myself and getting older.
There is a wonderful chapter in the Wayne Dyer book "The Power of Intention" about how very powerful our minds are in the aging process and in being healthy. Dr. Dyer taught me that if I "thanked" my body (and God, of course) for being healthy, beautiful and youthful, it would actually become more healthy, beautiful and youthful. Amazingly enough, I have found this to be true.
Recently I read a Blog of a new author friend who basically said we all aught to get over it and accept we are getting OLD! I wrote her back and told her I would be blogging a respectful rebuttal, because I just don't believe that!
Yes, aging is inevitable. But, our minds are so much more powerful than we realize! We can create more youth OR more aging according to how we program ourselves.
Well, there you have it! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! And sorry I've been away for so long. I've missed my Boomer Women friends and will try to put in my 2 cents more often! (Hey, does anybody say 2 cents anymore?)

Anne, you commented that many boomer women do not exercise regularly. That's not surprising, is it? Most of all of us don't exercise regularly. We have only to look at our eating and exercising habits a a group to see where this takes us.

Somehow, I have been a regular exerciser all my life. I guess I didn't mind the PE classes all that much, but my high school had an excellent mix of archery, trampoline, field hockey, gymnastics, --- you name it. I used to be a fairly serious biker, then moved into aerobics/step classes, then to home workouts with Taebo and The Firm and others, and now mix that with Zumba and nia classes and a little kettlebell. Oh, and walking!

My daughter made me feel good one day when she mentioned that I had set an example for her when she was growing up. (I honestly had not been thinking of that, but, you know, you are so busy it just seems like a blur).

I live in one of the fattest and most unhealthy states in the US. We have it all: diabetes, heart disease, smoking, (Of course they do not do PE here, but most places don't, I think). It's a real shame; I would hope we could introduce our kids to all sorts of movement. It's an additional shame that we are so entrenched in our bad habits and -- here, anyway -- have such a dislike of Obama that Michelle's campaign to promote healthy eating and moving is viewed as some sort of Communist plot. This used to be just normal living.

Weird Ellenm, that anyone should even suspect the First Lady's campaign for healthy living is a Communist plot. So sad.

Glad to hear that your daughter likes your lifestyle choices. And she wants to do something similar for herself!

Anne:

That's the beauty of cycling for transportation. One tends to forget a lot of the time, it is also exercise. I love these convenient self-deluding things. right now there's still some ice, slush in some areas but I just cycled to the bank, then to a coffee place and over to another place for grocery shopping before coming home. Every bit of cycling helps me..for spring, summer later when I need to adjust my body for longer distances.

Certainly I would be happy to cycle with any long time members here and show you our area...when you get to Alberta or British Columbia.

There's a part of me that also would like to write more about the best of my experiences in my blog. It just occurred to me, to even feature some of my amateur art work on my blog over time: because I've been living thousands of kms. away from my birth family for the last 11 yrs.!

So some family members and long time friends, haven't seen what I've produced since I've moved or when they visit me, there's barely enough time to look at my artwork.

So yes, I now see my personal blog in a different light. I do want to leave a good footprint behind in blogosphere.

I think car use has been a factor for me.Where as I walked with adults to visit relations and to shop and then could walk to work when I left schooling now I use my car.I played outside as a child and went to the park and played some more.PE was a joy to me and I went to dance classes.I cycled as soon As I could and loved the freedom
My aunt is in her eighties and very fit.She too walked a lot and gardened as I do.She still works in her garden which is wonderful her paths are brushed to perfection.she worked hard in any job she had.
The mind set of aging is important..every day activity keeps us supple.I am limited now due to arthritis but never give up.
I do as much as I can.