Unavoidable, Adventures in Aging

Sue and Shan are contemplating whether older individuals feel seen by others. Every day, 11,000 Americans reach the age of 65, which leads us to ask the poignant question, “Do you see me?” Retirement can often be less than idyllic; it may bring feelings of loneliness, fear, and sadness. However, it doesn't have to be that way. Every person matters, and sometimes, we simply need to discover our purpose. Unavoidable, Adventures in Aging serves as a vital resource, helping older adults find their purpose and highlighting the significance of “mattering.”
http://carnegieartscenter.com/exhibits/ “Age Is Just A Number” Artis: Brian Stephenson
https://bit.ly/4r86CfH Mattering: The Secret To A Life Of Deep Connections and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace
If you subscribe to the Wall Street Journal, check out the article, “The Retirement Crisis No One Warns You About: Mattering”

Aging gracefully involves paying close attention to the signals our body sends us. Sue and Shan delve into what this truly means. Are we embracing the aging process gracefully, or are we rushing through it?
Join us this week on Unavoidable: Adventures in Aging for some insightful reflections and a few hearty laughs. Remember to listen to your body; it might just be trying to communicate with you. After all, we know our bodies are certainly speaking!

It has been a few days since we embraced the arrival of the Year 2026. Have you set any New Year's resolutions? Are you managing to stick to them? Or perhaps, like Sue and Shan, you realize it’s wiser to forgo resolutions altogether. Today, Sue and Shan will explore alternative approaches to resolutions beyond the typical promises of quitting smoking, losing weight, or getting organized. For us, these are merely “pie crust sayings”—easy to make and easy to break. Let’s delve into Krista Tippett’s suggestion to “Forget New Year’s resolutions. Instead, consider sitting with a question for 2026.” Forget New Year's resolutions. For 2026, sit with a question instead In addition, we will explore and establish our “intention for 2026.” The Washington Post, in its December 29, 2025 issue, presented an alternative to traditional resolutions: “Choose a word that embodies your intention for 2026.” * Want to set an intention for 2026? Use this word generator.(*Free to subscribers or $2 for nonsubscribers)

Ah, the good old days when Christmas actually kicked off in December! Now, it seems like Santa and his sleigh are crashing into stores, TV ads, and grocery aisles earlier than ever! Join Sue and Shan as they reminisce about the Christmases of yesteryear. Or wait—maybe they’re just old and reminiscing about Christmas in general? Either way, it’s a festive trip down memory lane! Sue and Shan are taking this week off, so we are rebroadcasting It’s Always Christmas. We will be back next week with new episodes!

Christmas has come and gone. Did Santa deliver what you wished for? Sue and Shan are in a nostalgic mood, reminiscing about the toys that once filled their Christmas lists. Join them as they discuss the who, what, and when of those cherished toys. Which ones were your favorites? Give a listen to this rebroadcast of The Toys We Loved.

We’re wrapping it up, today marks the conclusion of Season Three with Sue and Shan. In this episode, we reflect on the enjoyable moments we shared during Season Three and speculate on what awaits us in Season 4.0.
Rest assured, we won't leave you without our signature wit, knowledge, and entertainment! We’re excited to announce that The Toys We Loved will relaunch next week, followed by It’s Always Christmas the week after.
So sit back and enjoy a couple of rerun episodes. Have a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends, and the delightful Unavoidable Adventures in Aging!

Oh, the delightful feeling of butterflies in our stomachs during the holiday preparations! We’ve all attempted to create that “perfect” scenario for our family, friends, and future family. However, Sue and Shan reveal this week that the pursuit of perfection and the desire to impress can sometimes backfire. Unexpectedly and Unavoidably, our holiday plans can go awry at the most inconvenient moments. This week, tune in to hear our stories, along with those of our listeners, about holiday headaches.

“Music is the soundtrack of your life.” Dick Clark. This week Sue and Shan visit “the soundtrack” of our lives. Why does music stays with us forever? Why do we remember the lyrics? Music catapoltes us back in time, to a place, a feeling, an emotion, and a time. Sue sings, a little, and Shan forgets the music of our youth. Music unavoidably stays with us forever.

Is there a reason to caring old baggage around with us. Baggage weighs us down, makes it hard to move around freely, and in fact old baggage can wear on us mentally and physically. Today Sue and Shan share tips on “what baggage” you can leave behind as we age. No need in worrying about trends, worrying about regrets, fitting in as we age is more about finding the right people to hang with instead of the popular kids. Let’s leave that baggage here and move forward. Aging is Unavoidable. Carrying around unnessary worries and regrets can be left behind, way behind.

It’s That “Wonderful Time of the Year!” The season is filled with dazzling lights, vibrant decorations, pine trees, wide-eyed children, and, of course, an abundance of gifts—lots and lots of gifts! This brings us to this week's episode of Unavoidable: Adventures in Aging. Sue and Shan are buzzing with excitement, eager to discuss the significance of giving and receiving gifts, and how our perspective has shifted. As we navigate the holidays, we find ourselves appreciating this time more for family and friends than for material presents. Join us to explore whether our understanding of the “True Meaning” has evolved with age.