At the Center’s second Tough Talk Workshop, Lee Paton shared with us her thoughts on how to engage in those tough conversations between parent and adult child. Although there is not a specific recipe, she did offer several ingredients necessary for creating nourishing conversations. To start, develop a sense of empathy: try to see and feel the other person’s perspective whether it is a parent’s desire to maintain their independence or the child’s desire to protect the one who has protected them. Then listen, really listen and no “yes, buts”. Help the other to go deeper in understanding the situation you both are sharing. And finally as we age, be flexible. After years of developing our own habits and mental routines, we have to adjust as we no longer are as active, no longer can do as much, and no longer have the control that we once had. Our bodies, our outer shells, are changing and creating limitations. Yet there is the freedom that comes from discovering our core, who we are: a person of spirit that has value and can still love and create.
On the same theme of communication, Thursday at 2:00 at the Center, Fern Wilcox will be presenting “Talking Effectively with Aging Adults” as part of the monthly Healthy Aging Series. Every time Fern discusses a topic you will learn something new. Guaranteed.
Marc Berry and I completed our first successful Thursday morning bike ride with a leisurely ride up 10th street to Foley Lakes and back with only one side effect: a sore butt. (I am not use to those fancy skinny seats.) Join us at the Center every Thursday in May at 10:00. Our goals are to have fun and keep it simple.
On Monday May 18th at 1:00 Planetree Health Resource Center will again be offering a one hour presentation at the Center on how to find accurate health information on the Internet. The site, www.medlineplus.gov from the National Library of Medicine, is so comprehensive it helps to have PHRC show you all the different ways it can answer your heath related questions.
The Center’s Saturday Breakfast on the 16th from 8:00 – 10:00 AM is your chance to enjoy good food and great company for only $5 and $4 for Center members. The breakfast is sponsored by Habitat for Humanity and their Restore Store now on Sixth Street in the old Liquor store. They have increased their space and have more room for all the items you need to finish your spring projects. Come and enjoy a nice breakfast, a cup of coffee and learn more about Habitat for Humanity. And as Jack always said “Breakfast tastes better when someone else cooks it”.
Each week is the “same old, same old”, so I have decided to think outside the sack and announce the performers for the Center’s Tuesday Night Music program in a different language. But since I don’t know French or Spanish and my high school German I have tried to forget, I can only revert back to the foreign language of my childhood: Pig Latin. So here goes (with a Midwest accent). Extnay Uesdaytay, theway Ugarsay Addiesday areway ayingplay orfay ouryay ancingday easureplay. Andway onighttay Umantray Olerbay is ayingplay. Missionaday isway eefray utbay onationsday areway adlyglay ceptedacay.
And there is more.
Wednesday starting at 7:00 will be a Great Decisions discussion on “Cuba after Castro”,
Friday starting at 6:00 will be a Hoedown sponsored by ARC,
Monday there will be a Blood Pressure Checks at 10:00,
the AARP Driver Safety Class will be 9 – 1 on Monday and Tuesday and
The Dalles City Police will be discussing Fraud and Local Scams at the Next Chapter Lecture on Tuesday at 11:00.
If you have questions you can always call the Center at 296-4788 or check the Center’s Blog at www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com.
And for those who never learned Pig Latin in school, Truman Boler is playing tonight and the Sugar Daddies next week, always starting at 7:00 PM.
Well the sun is shining, and the rain is falling but the weeds are always growing. Until we meet again, “stop, look and listen” isn’t just good advice for crossing streets.
