This blog presents the ideas and creative thinking of some of Utah's talented older adult writers. Their submissions are to inform and entertain, not to present policy or opinion positions of the Utah Commission on Aging. Enjoy.
There’s no doubt it’s been a crappy year, even though it looks like things are starting to look up. We’ve all been battered by a microorganism we can’t even see. Businesses have shut down, people have lost jobs, we’ve all been isolated from loved ones…and so on. Pretty rough, huh?
One of my favorite movies is Contact, the story of a SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) scientist who finds strong evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact. The film, an adaptation of Carl Sagan’s novel of the same name, stars Jodie Foster as Dr. Ellie Arroway, the film’s protagonist.
I’ve been looking for inspiration of late. It’s been a hard year for everyone, and my situation at home is more challenging than ever. My only daughter is facing major surgery to repair a damaged digestive system. Without it, she won’t survive.
As this year's election season is winding down, many of us are hopeful that the rancor, divisiveness, and fear mongering surrounding it will give way to a more hopeful and optimistic future. The endless stream of political ads, email solicitations, and phone calls are exhausting as well, making it seem attractive to just unplug everything and go into a news black-out.
There is a lot of confusion around wearing a mask given the recent changing guidelines, anxiety for some people about covering your nose and mouth, and misinformation.