It’s said that “March winds and April showers bring May flowers.” While I delight in the beauty of neighborhood trees and flowers in full bloom, I am personally aware that the pollen count in our city has been especially high. My sympathies to those of us coping with allergies in a longer, more intense season than usual.
This month marks 60 years since the US government began designating May as Older Americans Month. It’s a good time to recognize and celebrate how for the most part seniors’ lives have improved over the decades in both longevity and quality. This month is a good time to make sure that outdated notions of what an older person’s life looks like do not limit what we do with ours. To that end, here are some suggestions:
- Stay curious; don’t stop learning. As we age, we gain knowledge, awareness, and insight, allowing us to understand and experience the world more deeply. Continue to grow your knowledge through reading, listening, attending classes, and conversation with others.
- Try new things. Invite creativity and purpose into your life. Discover new passions, go on adventures, participate in new activities in your community.
- Spend time with people. Deepen your connections with family, friends, and community members.
- Stay or become active in your community. Volunteer, help, teach, or mentor others. Participate.
East Rock Creek Village has a role to play in all this, providing opportunities for members and friends – for you – to learn, grow, form and deepen relationships, and become involved in the welfare of your community. Our virtual Open House on May 11th will be an opportunity to discuss what aging well means to you, and it’s a good time hear about ERCV offerings. Please join us!
You may remember that during the pandemic ERCV hosted online Armchair Travel jazz programs in cooperation with the Washington Jazz Arts Institute (WJAI). These programs which can be found on ERCV’s YouTube channel were extremely popular, and many of you hoped ERCV could arrange a live performance when it was safe to gather in person again. We aim to please. From 3 to 6pm on Sunday, June 4th, ERCV will bring you “All That Jazz,” a live performance featuring students from WJAI. The event will be held at The Parks at Walter Reed’s “Arts Plaza” near the Aspen Street entrance. Register today and be on the lookout for more details. I hope to see you there.
Getting back to May and its flowers, I want to wish all who celebrate, including my own mom, a very happy Mother’s Day!
– David Mackoff
Click here to read the full May 2023 Village Voice newsletter