“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison
Or as Winston Churchill put it more directly, “Never, never, never give up.”
Our culture celebrates self-sufficiency and pull-yourself-up-by-your bootstrap stories told to us since childhood. That attitude has served us well, persevering through adversity so we’ll get to where we want to go.
But are there times when you should consider quitting not as giving up but letting go? That was the focus of Judith Graham’s interview with Pulitzer Prize winner Julia Keller, author of her new book, Quitting: A Life Strategy. The Myth of Perseverance – and How the New Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free. (https://www.nextavenue.org/dont-think-of-it-as-quitting-think-of-it-as-letting-go/)
Keller points out that quitting requires us to ask ourselves ‘How do I feel about the way things are working out for me?’ If the answer is ‘just OK,’ then the question becomes ‘Is OK really enough?’
What if giving up can make your life better especially when you’re not happy with your current circumstances?
What if letting go is liberating when you’re stuck and unsatisfied making room for other possibilities in your life?
Keller argues quitting is about abundance and not loss; choosing hope over fear; believing that there is a brighter tomorrow. But in our culture quitting is a dirty word. It takes courage – and maybe a little ignorance to quit. And then what if things don’t work out? But as we age, quitting may become more important because we don’t have the time to continue doing what isn’t working.
Keller found in the interviews for her book “people expressed much more regret over things that they didn’t quit but wish they had than the changes they found the courage to make.”
We have worked hard all our lives and persisted through tough situations which we can be proud of. But are there times to stop and decide if this is something you really want to continue doing? Not quitting but letting go so your life will be happier and more fulfilling.
Senior Planet from AARP offers online classes plus articles on a variety of topics: Life and Culture, Tech, and Healthy Aging for example. But Senior Planet also offers a Tech Support Hotline. If you have a specific tech question, you can call the FREE Senior Planet National Tech Hotline: 888-713-3495 anytime between 9:00 am – 8:00 pm EDT (That’s 6:00 – 5:00 for us left coast folks), Monday through Friday. They can help you with whatever tech issues you’re experiencing. And if they can’t they’ll help you find someone who can.
Brain Tease. How about a sequence puzzle? For example, the answer for the clue M T W T ? is Friday (F) because, well, you know the sequence. So, try to find the answers to these two sequence puzzles. 1.) J F M A M J J ? 2.) T T T F F S S ?
The name of the 1968 Broadway theater production described as “The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” was Hair. I received correct answers from Nancy Higgins, Steven Woolpert, Judy Merrill, Rhonda Spies, Rose Schulz, Kay Fortin, Pat Evenson-Brady, Donna Mollet, Lana Tepfer, Bruce Johnson, Joan Chantler, and Dave Lutgens this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.
And for the week before those who sent in the answer The Red Balloon were Ron Nelson, Karen Mielke, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Carol Earl, Rhonda Spies, and Becky Podvent that week’s winner.
This Oregon author grew up on a working dairy farm in Springfield, Oregon, was a successful wrestler in high school and college, and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1957. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this author described by one of his instructors as “a sort of highly talented illiterate” and who wrote the critically acclaimed novel set in the Oregon State Hospital? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a picture of “Further” the 1939 International Harvester school bus which carried the “Merry Band of Pranksters”.
Well, it’s been another week, trying to lower the bar to help others over. Until we meet again, don’t let the gravy drown the mashed potatoes.
“I am a kind of paranoid in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.” J. D. Salinger
Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.
Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Hood River Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center (541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333)
For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068); Skamania County Senior Services (509-427-3990).
Answer: 1.) (A) August; 2.) (E) Eighty
