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My great-aunt Mary told me, “Honey, when I turned 74, I got old.” Aunt Mary always seemed so young to me, so vibrant, so alive. After being swirled in a tornado when she was 62 and dropped in a field a quarter-of-a-mile from where her...
A Springtime Note from Muriel Wolf, BAH Spiritual Companion Spring is the time of the Great Unfurling: of lilies’ fronds, of ruffled daffodil petals, of birds’ wings and April showers, and the winds of change setting last year’s beech leaves tremoring and falling to the ground to make way...
By Jennie Reichman Gratitude. A word I have used many times in this column to describe how I feel about my workplace and co-workers, our donors, our intrepid shoppers, the town and region we live in. It’s a lovely word that I don’t want to overuse...
ASK ALICE This Month's Topic: The Individuals-with-Disabilities Community and Act 39 Dear Alice, I have heard that the disabilities community does not support Medical Assistance in Dying Acts like Vermont’s Act 39, and that some advocates for those with disabilities may actually find these Acts offensive. I try...
ASK ALICE This Month's Topic: Palliative Care ASK ALICE Dear Alice, My favorite cousin was just diagnosed with a serious illness. Fortunately, the long term prognosis is good, and with treatment she is expected to recover. For now, however, she is in quite a bit of pain, and her...
By Jennie Reichman Do we ever stop learning? I hope not. In the interest of keeping our brains functioning well and our lives engaging, new experiences that challenge our well-worn neural pathways are important. I have been watching my two kittens, now approaching adolescence, learn the...
By Jennie Reichman Something I have always wanted to write in an article: “Breaking News!!” It makes me feel like a real journalist, with eyes and ears open to intriguing stories and exciting, important events. So here goes: Breaking News!! Experienced Goods, our much loved and long-lived...
ASK ALICE This Month's Topic: Death Doulas Dear Alice, My neighbor is dying and they’ve hired a Death Doula. They’ve got so much going on that I didn’t want to add to their burden so I’m asking you…What is a Death Doula? What do they do? I’ve heard of a...
By Eileen Glover “Hospice volunteer…?” The eyebrows move a little closer together. The voice lowers just a smidge. “Oh, I don’t know if I could do that…” They look off into the distance for a moment before coming back to the conversation. I’ve suggested the idea...
ASK ALICE Dear Alice, A friend has convinced me to do an advance directive. She didn’t tell me what form to use, though, and there are so many options online! Some are detailed and go into lots of specifics, others are more general, and some leave a...