When the Empress of Soul Slows Down, We Should All Pay Attention Gladys Knight is slowing down. And somehow, that makes me think about all of us. The legendary Empress of Soul recently announced that she will begin performing less frequently as she moves into what she calls the “next stage” of her career and life. Gladys Knight is 82 years old. I plan to see her perform Friday at Dallas’ Riverfront Jazz fest and I suspect I will be watching her differently than I might have y

Some days, the best kind of joy is the kind you don’t have to chase. You just step into it—one slow breath, one cool ripple, one wagging tail at a time. At 67, retired and learning what it means to live with intention, I’m discovering that slowing down isn’t losing momentum—it’s gaining presence. And lately, one of my sweetest teachers has been my dog. A Pool, a Pup, and Permission to Pause When we go swimming together, there’s no agenda. No stopwatch. No performance. Just th

At this stage of life, independence means I can still get dressed without turning it into an Olympic event. It means I can button my own shirt, zip my own dress, and put on my socks without negotiating with my lower back. It means I can take a shower without worrying that one wrong step will make me the evening news. It means I can use the bathroom by myself and never take that privilege for granted. When I was younger, I thought independence meant leaving home, earning my ow

Juneteenth reminds us of a profound truth. Freedom delayed is still worth celebrating. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed, enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free. Can you imagine that moment? Living as though you were still bound when freedom had already been declared. I've been thinking about that—not only as an African American woman, but as someone who spends her days encouraging older adults to embrac

There are two words that can clear a room faster than almost anything else. Exercise. The moment some people hear it, they picture pain, sweat, impossible workouts, and twenty-year-old fitness influencers doing things no normal human should attempt. I've heard women my age say, "Honey, don't even start talking to me about exercise." I understand. For years, I thought exercise was punishment. Something I had to endure because I had eaten something I shouldn't have. I worked wi

I watched a clip this week of Lionel Richie performing on stage. At 77 years old, he was doing what he has done for decades—entertaining thousands of fans with the music that has become the soundtrack of our lives. Then something happened. He became dizzy. Instead of pushing through, he stopped, found a chair, and sat down. Later he laughed about it and said, "When you start feeling dizzy, sit your ass down." I laughed. Then I thought about it. Because Lionel wasn't just talk