Call for Stories: HEART

Section Four: HEART

Correlations: Water/West/Sunset

Concepts: emotions, feelings, relationships, memories

1. Way #39: OK, Have a Crisis Already! – this cliché is like a get-out-of-jail-free card. If people are expecting you to have a crisis in midlife, then hey! Why not? We’re looking for stories on all the classics – the new motorcycle or convertible, say, or the sudden urge to climb Everest – as well as your own unique “take” on what it means to have a midlife crisis.

2. Way #40: Lose It or LOSE IT! – Can’t get no satisfaction? Then send the crazymakers packin’—before they make you crazier! As in the MIND section, where we devote a chapter to purposeful forgetting, here we encourage you to consider making some purposeful losses. Paradoxically, such losses can bring immeasurable gains! We're especially interested in stories of confronting addiction.
   

3. Way #41: Grieve – Then there are the losses we don’t choose. With aging comes all sorts of loss, and mourning is the appropriate response. Grieving your loss of youth can free you to enjoy more fully your new status as Elder! Also, have you noticed you’re attending more funerals these days? Lean into your grief and share your pain!

4. Way #42: Make the Call – Speaking of funerals… do you really want to go to your grave without making peace with that certain someone? Come on! Time’s a wastin’. Extend the proverbial olive branch. Even if it gets rejected, you may gain a sense of peace. Or have you already done so? Tell us about it!
   

5. Way #43: Party “Hearty” – Kick out the jams, man! It’s party time! Whether small and intimate, or huge and raucous, this is a tradition worth preserving. How do YOU plan to ring in your 50s? Or how DID you? In this chapter, we celebrate celebration as a way of life -- it's not just for special occasions anymore! “keeping it real,” relating always from the heart; also heart health.
   

6. Way #44: Respect Your Elders – No matter how grown-up you get to be, remember: There will always be others older and wiser. Besides, older is where we’re all headed, so we might as well learn from those who’ve gone before. Bask in their wisdom! We're especially interested in stories about aging-parent issues. Are you a member of the "sandwich generation," caring for both children and aging parents? Tell us about it!
   

7. Way #45: Respect Your Youngers – Remember, too, that older isn’t the only way to be wiser. There's much to be learned from looking at the world through children's eyes. Let your job as role model bring out your best self! Are you a mentor? A Big Brother/Big Sister? A foster parent? Did you become a parent for the first time in midlife? Do tell!
   

8. Way #46: Love, Love, Love – romance in midlife, whether with a new mate or within your decades-deep relationship; Also, love as a way of life, not just for your intimates, but for every sentient being! Helped a stranger lately? What's YOUR Love Story?
   

9. Way #47: Touch & Glow – Do you get by with a little help from your friends? Hey! Where would we be without them? Tending to friendships; the importance of human contact and getting/staying in touch with feelings.
   

10. Way #48: Launch Your Legacy – The Heart realm is about memories. How do you want to be remembered? We're way beyond first impressions now; what will be your lasting impression? Tell us what you want chiseled on your gravestone!
    

11. Way #49: Channel the Divine – "Hallelujah! ... Hallelujah!” Did you know Haydn wrote the Messiah in 21 days? Forsaking food and sleep, he just wrote and wrote as if there were no tomorrow! Many New Age authors insist that every one of us has access to this sort of divine inspiration. If you've experienced anything like it, we'd sure love to hear your story!

12. Way #50: Leave ‘Em Laughing – What better way to "leave your 40s" than to leave them laughing! Laughter heals; the good doctor Norman Cousins told us so (OK, he wrote of it) a generation ago. Even if you don't have a story to share, we hope you'll send us lots and lots of jokes.