I’m excited to again feature a book for this month’s giveaway. It is Karen O’Connor’s Laughing All the Way: Wit, Wisdom, and Willpower for the Golden Years.
Read below about entering the drawing and in the meantime, enjoy this excerpt from Laughing All the Way.
A Privilege Few People Experience
by Karen O-Connor
The day I turned 65 I was both excited (to sign up for social security checks) and deflated over the reality I really was growing old and there was no turning back.
But not long after that birthday I gained an entirely new perspective on this thing called aging. One hot summer day my husband and I drove the high and winding road to the top of the White Mountains in California. When we arrived at the ranger station situated at 12,000 feet, we gasped for a breath in the thin, chilly air. I grabbed a parka and wool cap and minutes later, with map in hand, we set off on the four-mile trail that led through a forest of ancient pines, where some of the oldest trees on the planet were still thriving.
At the end of our hike we made a 12-mile drive to the Patriarch Forest, where more ancient trees crowded together in the midst of a barren piece of land where no human life existed. The unpaved road was rock-strewn, bumpy, and the air was hot and thick with dust. I felt like a pioneer in a covered wagon, though our station wagon had air conditioning!
We pressed on and finally I spotted a small sign that led to a parking lot beside the grove. I jumped out of the car, eager to hug a tree, grateful we had made it. We walked the trail, stopping here and there to comment on the shape or color or texture of these amazing specimens that had been on this soil thousands of years before Jesus was born.
To me it was holy ground. I wanted to congratulate each tree for surviving, for being steadfast, for doing what God had created it to do.
Every one of these trees showed their age and more. There was no hiding their humps, bumps, gnarled branches, and chubby trunks. They were anything but beautiful when compared with a graceful willow, yet I found them lovely in their own way. The ravages of age and weather had bestowed an elegance I can’t describe.
I thought about myself, an older woman with a few humps and bumps of her own. Gosh, I’d been hard on myself, I realized, finding fault with my looks and the toll the aging process had taken.
How is it that I could see beauty in the trees but not in myself? Why is getting older a good thing for a tree, but a bad thing for me? Why do I look in the mirror and bemoan the wrinkles that line my face, but see in the trees a quiet dignity that has nothing to do with shape or age? I had a good cry as the truth of these words and feelings sunk in.
Today I am an old woman, pushing into my 80s. I thank God for the opportunity to have lived this long and to continue to contribute the gifts I’ve been given. I really do see that getting old is a privilege few people get to enjoy and appreciate. But as we become more aware of this privilege, we’re more likely to finish out our lives laughing all the way–with gratitude and joy.
Thank you, Karen, for sharing a needed perspective that as an older person, I can especially appreciate. I know your book is going to encourage, inspire, and give a thoughtful laugh for anyone, regardless of their age.
To enter the drawing (only those with US addresses can win), please make a comment on my blog. I’ll draw the winner on Monday evening, December 17th, 2018. UPDATE: the winner of the drawing is Brenda! Congratulations, Brenda!
Karen O’Connor is an award-winning and best-selling author of 70 books for children and adults and a writing mentor for BraveWriter.com. She now specializes in writing books, blogs, and magazine articles for seniors. Her best-selling books include Help, Lord! I’m Having a Senior Moment (Baker Publishing Group) and Gettin’ Old Ain’t For Wimps (Harvest House).
Karen received the Special Recognition Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in 2002 for her versatility in writing and speaking. In 2004 she accepted the International Reading Association Award for her article in Highlights magazine on Kurdish refugees.
Here’s more about Karen’s book: Laughing All the Way: Wit, Wisdom and Willpower for the Golden Years shares inspiration and practical insight, drawing from her own experiences to help you glide through your golden years with grace, humor, and anticipation. Karen shares funny and poignant personal anecdotes to encourage you to make new choices, accept new challenges, take new chances, and open new chapters in your life.
Included are 3 insightful tidbits in each anecdote:
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Wit: “I never made a mistake in my life. I thought I did once but I was wrong.” Charles M. Schulz
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Wisdom: “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2)
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Willpower: “I will count myself human and let go of my senior moments. After all, I am a senior.”
Connect with Karen at:
This looks like a wonderful book for us seniors! Put me in the drawing. Love you Kathy!
Karen (who is my sister!), thanks for seeing Karen O’Connor’s book’s value. I’m so glad to put your name into the drawing! Too bad I can’t play favorites. LOL
Oh, so relatable! And what great humor to cheer any heart asking all of those same questions. I can’t wait to read Karen’s book. She forms her words and draws the reader in like no other. Oh, the wisdom that comes with age. Thank you, Kathy, for introducing us to these great resources.
Lisa, you are right. Karen is a fabulous author and I’ve known her for many years. Although I don’t know how since neither of us are that old! haha. Oh wait, it’s a book about being older. So we both admit we’re up there. But Karen’s many books on the subject are always encouraging and humorous. So thanks for putting your name into the drawing.
This looks like a wonderful book for us seniors! Put me in the drawing. Love you Kathy!
I am having my left knee replacement surgery on December 11th that morning. bless you . Teresa
Hi Teresa. Thanks for entering the drawing and our hearts and prayers are with you as you go into surgery. “Heavenly Father, keep Teresa safe and guide the doctors to be able to do exactly what will bring healing and health to her. Give Teresa peace and also her family who love her. Wrap her in a sense of your love and care. Continue to glorify yourself through her. We pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.” Please let us know how you’re doing afterwards.
This sounds like a great book for me, a woman in her early 80’s!
Lots of insight. JoAn Shepherd
I love your desire to never stop growing, JoAn. That’s the attitude I want to have as I enter my 70’s soon. So thank you for entering the drawing and for stopping by!
I like her perspective. I too have been feeling that old age is a gift and I am thankful for the woman that I live with who is 79 years.
Thank you Kathy!
Brenda Allingham.
Wisconsin
Brenda, I’m so glad you’ve entered the drawing. What a blessing you are to your friend. Blessings to you!
Congratulations, Brenda. You are the winner of Karen O’Connor’s book! I know you’ll love it. I’ve emailed and put you in touch with Karen. Enjoy!
Looks like a good book! 🙂 I might be able to relate to many things she says in this book. It has a good flow to it – very easy to read. My daughter attends some of your workshops, Kathy, and that’s how this post caught my eye.
Cheryl, so glad to hear from you and I’ve entered you into the drawing. I’m so pleased that your daughter has joined me at some of my workshops. Say hello to her for me.