"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!" ~ Mae West

Thank you, dear Readers, dear Friends, dear Family, especially our devoted children, Adam and Rachel, for their presence, guidance, and unconditional love. We are forever blessed.

I wasn't sure Barry would make it to his 80th birthday. Pancreatic cancer, starting with the Whipple 'mac truck' surgery, doesn't have great survival stats. But Barry was a Zumba specimen at the time, teaching his 12 (yes, 12!) Zumba classes a week at various senior living facilities. His ladies would wait for his arrival, assume their regular places in the floor line-up, ready to have fun dancing to the specific songs that Barry would choreograph just for them. It was a love fest for 12 years. Barry's classes were legendary, even when he took his classes to zoom during covid.

After the Whipple, Barry's days were filled with chemo, radiation, sleeping through 20 hour days, and all the side effects we didn't expect. His poor circulation was the biggest surprise problem for him, specifically when his index finger on his left hand simply died and needed to be amputated. He wrote with his left hand, played guitar with his left hand…this was now all gone. Barry's grief was real, even when he was pronounced cancer-free a year ago.

Here's when Barry, The Modern Elder showed up. Finally, he got sick and tired with being depressed. His grief for what he could no longer do took its toll on every day…and, I confess, I couldn't live my life watching him like this. Only Barry could choose another way to live the rest of his life, looking forward to what he CAN do. He bought himself and started playing a ukulele. He started reading Ram Das' Still Here, sharing his favorite passages with me. He lifts weights, going from 108 lbs. to 127 lbs. Most important of all, he signed up for a class that gives him a new credential: Functional Aging certification. He plans on offering his seniors a new way of living with movement as medicine in January 2024. Barry will do whatever it takes to live and serve another day!

Forward thinking and action to serve others is the necessary mind-set that Barry is celebrating on his 80th Birthday. Here are a few of his life lessons that he's excited to share with you:

• "I look in the mirror and I'm still surprised to see that I'm still here, and how I look at 80!"
• "After many months looking back and grieving my losses, I became impatient until I finally reached a point when I saw how many blessings I had going through this. WOW! I am so loved by so many!"
• "Today, I live in the moment…in acceptance of my condition. My side effects may never go away. This is what is. Now, I simply look forward…"
• "So many blessings from my children, my grandchildren, dear friends, and dormant friendships that came alive! I'm not alone. Pain is inevitable, but suffering in optional."
• "My weight is up. My energy is up. My strength is up. My attitude is up. Who could ask for more?"
• "I am blessed with every nurse, caregiver, doctor, surgeon for their patience, encouragement, and kindness…it DOES take a village!"
• "I've posted the word GRATITUDE all over our home as a reminder of my many blessings EVERY DAY! Life happenings are easy to forget and, as Jackson Brown says 'nothing survives but the way we live our lives."
• "I never thought I could love Susan more than I do today. Her motivation has propelled me, she's been by my side every night and day, loving me, always loving me."
• "Before my birthday, I felt like an old 79 year old…now I feel like a young 80 year old, looking forward to a great future! Amen."

If retirement or the next chapter is calling your name, if I can help you realize your vision in business and lifestyle, email me. Let's make it happen now! Susan@SusanLBrooks.com.

P.S. My lessons as Barry's 24/7 caregiver is a whole other story of lessons learned. Please call on me if you want to share yours...

*Chip Conley, best-selling author and speaker, hospitality entrepreneur and leading thought leader, created The Modern Elder Academy's mission "to inspire the ability to reframe a lifetime of experience and recognize one's mastery, relevance, and value in the modern workplace." The Modern Elder* is Conley's term and effort that "liberates and inspires us to embrace wisdom as a path of growing whole, not old...The Modern Elder*marries wisdom and curiosity."

Every month this newsletter will Feature the stories and wisdom of Modern Elders*. Please send in your Modern Elder* nomination. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT