One of the quiet milestones of life is the day your kids stop asking for advice. It sneaks up on you like a thief in the night. For years, you were the designated problem solver. The one with the answers, or at least a valued (and sometimes unsolicited) opinion. The person who helped narrow down the decision on which college to attend. A trusted advisor on how to set up a monthly budget. The one they called when the faucet was leaking (in truth, that was never me). And the on

Most afternoons, I take a walk with our dog, Rigby. Depending on which direction he decides to explore that day, we end up passing through the local park or along the quiet streets of our small village. In the fall and spring, those walks almost always take us past youth sports fields. Little League baseball. Lacrosse practice. A girls’ high school softball game. Parents line the sidelines, leaning forward in folding chairs or pacing along the fence line. They shout encourage

What is it about the ocean and the waves on the beach that speaks so clearly about the relentless march of time, and how our lives are little more than momentary footprints in the sand? We are here for only a moment, until the waves, arriving with the steady beat of a metronome, wash away our presence and return the sand to its natural state. As if we were never there at all. And yet, we were, if only for a moment. The snow is piling up outside my window here in Central New Y

I have always believed that life gives us little nudges when we need them. Sometimes they show up as a gentle whisper in the breeze as I walk Rigby in the park. And sometimes it's a mishap so ridiculous you can’t help but laugh. Like showing up for pickleball league last night, pulling off my sweatpants, only to realize I forgot to put on my shorts. Lately, as I’ve been working through the first full edit of my retirement book, I’ve realized that most of the wisdom I have col

It’s been a little quiet around here at The Sunny Side of 57 . Seven months since my last post (but who's counting). And no, I haven’t retired from retirement. I’ve just been busy doing something I never expected to be doing in this chapter of life: writing a book. What started as a few reflections on this blog has grown into something bigger, more structured (well, mostly), and more personal. It’s still me, still sunny-side-up, but with a deeper dive into what life after car

Earlier this past winter, I found myself on a planned four-hour layover at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. As I casually walked...

Imagine that you are a professional baseball pitcher. You have spent your entire career pitching right-handed. Your dream has always been...

For years I have used the phrase “time is flying by” to describe my feelings about various activities. My kids growing up, heading to...

Everyone loves recognition. Whether it is a simple pat on the back, acknowledgment for a job well done, a plaque for your office wall, or...

One of my mother's favorite stories (and believe me, she had many) centered around a family gathering when I was about four. The adults...

For many, life is viewed simply as a timeline where one phase follows logically, step after step. Graduate from high school and go to...