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Melissa Carlson's avatar

Wonderful thought provoking piece, Deepam. These thoughts came up for me: perhaps the point of aging is to simplify, streamline, take in less and give more away. I continue to believe in the crucible of aging is where my self - the slim, gracious, friendly, platinum blonde me; the me who is a mom; the me who is a therapist; and the older woman with the blotchy hands, wrinkling face, silvery hair and heavy body all come together into the idea that all me’s, taken as a whole, are the real me. For better or worse I am richness and depth, confusion, innocence, forgetfulness, and wisdom. Perhaps I will age into a silver, wrinkled, slim crone. There is excitement ahead!

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Susan Wadds (Deepam)'s avatar

Thanks for your perspective, Melissa. We are a sum total of all we've been, yes, but behind that...who? That's the thing I've been poking with a stick.

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Melissa Carlson's avatar

So many directions to go in with this provocative piece. Thank you, Deepam.

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Barbara Krasner's avatar

Beautiful!

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Susan Wadds (Deepam)'s avatar

Thanks, Barbara!

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Rose-Marie Jaeger's avatar

Love your work. This is thought provoking. Your personal soul searching strikes a chord. BTW your piece on the coyote/hunger was stunning. Thank you.

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Susan Wadds (Deepam)'s avatar

That's so kind, Rose-Marie. We're all in this together, it seems!

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BERT RUHL's avatar

Very interesting and thought provoking writing.

I often wonder who i am and why is that.....

More often i think of who i want to be and am i finding that.

Maybe i think too much

questions for sure

crisis not so much

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Susan Wadds (Deepam)'s avatar

Right, Bert, definitely not a crisis... just a query, an investigation. Who lives behind the mask?

Thanks so much for your thoughts.

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Barbara-Helen Hill's avatar

Wow, wow, what a beautiful piece. It has set me to thinking of the many people with Alzheimer's in our community and the auntie we buried in August - Alzheimer's, and the cousin that passed a year ago - Alzheimers. I need to write about that the family - loss of connections due to that disease. thanks, so much

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Susan Wadds (Deepam)'s avatar

Yes, Barbara, writing about the ones we've lost is such a fine way to honour them, and who they were. I'm so sorry to hear of all your losses.

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