Happy Birthday! Your 60's can be some of the best

years of your life.
Usually, still agile enough to do what you want; most dependent responsibilities are over.
The time is now!
Enjoy!

DUers are very supportive of personal problems as well as

successes.
When you consider that they don't really know the individuals to whom they're responding, it's all the more generous.

You will do well. The body adjusts and we adjust. Most people are good, if we give them a chance.
Peace.

Meaningful things to do, or bingo?

About 10 yrs ago I was working with a psychologist in preparation for my knee replacement surgeries.
The psychologist had me draw up a personal mission statement.
It was to be similar to a mission statement an organization prepares, but personal to me.

It turned out to be one of the most beneficial exercises I had ever done.

In the mission statement I, in effect, identified my own life purpose and several means to that end.
My mission statement was not so much different than most here, especially in this particular group, would prepare.

The importance of it, for me, was in focusing and identifying, and by inference, committing to the goals I set on paper.

I do recommend this exercise for those of you that feel you're just drifting along, and haven't identified where you are at this stage of life and where you want to be.

Definitely aging but not particularly frail.

In our fifties, with kids pretty well independent, spouse and I enjoyed walking. - Belonged to Volksmarch and did them locally and in various parts of the country, even Hawaii. Loved it - you see the world from a different perspective when walking than what you see while riding. We also enjoyed a local walking club that had Sunday walks in various parts of our beautiful city; those walks were about 5k.

Spouse retired early with a good buyout and I followed two yrs later, following the death of a close friend, run down while crossing a busy street. We were still young enough to be active - volunteered in various special events and as ushers at touring Broadway plays. Took cruises and vacations, and I began working on health, diet and fitness. Also took noncredit classes and a few Elderhostel courses. Spouse began to exhibit signs of depressive illness- bad enough that he would take to his bed, not eat or care for himself. Meds didn't help and he had to go to assisted living until his brain righted itself after several months. This routine repeated itself a number of times, but when he was feeling well, we traveled and enjoyed life fairly well.

During that time, my knees had gone bad and replacements were in order, but before that could happen, the heart needed stents, eventually two procedures and five stents total. Meantime, spouse's situation worsened, complicated by a broken hip which didn't mend well and affected his mobility, as the leg attached to the broken hip shortened and a cane, later a walker were required. We were in our late sixties.

Spouse was diagnosed with a brain disorder that affected his personality and demeanor and following hip surgery never recovered enough to come home permanently. I spent most dinner times and evenings with him at the nursing facility. Spouse died after six yrs. in nursing care.

Now widowed, my knees went bad and I won't consider redo surgery. I sometimes use his cane, and eyes will be needing cataract surgery, likely this fall. I'm still in a one-floor house, which works well, though I have no need for the yard. I don't volunteer much any more, except for one club I've been in for 50+ yrs. I don'' accomplish much most days, but don't beat myself up over it. My mission in life is offering support to my children (no grandkids), and try to not be a burden to them.

So that's aging for me. Memory good in some areas, but not with names. DU is good for me - helps me get my thoughts in order and expressed in a concise, sensible manner. I can't complain. Life is mostly good, and I just move past the rest. (Sorry this went too long.)

Okay, then. I'll stand pat with answer in #12.

Interesting question. I would have never used the term "idolize" re a personal label

but I believe I understand your concept.

I do identify strongly with the label of "loyalty" or "fidelity", though I realize that one can overdo that or that sometimes the subject of the loyalty is not worthy of the virtue.

Is this what you had in mind, or were you referring to another type of label?

Ah, Justin, I agree that people change as well as their views.

I don't know that I'd say they always "grow", but people do "evolve" and "change".
Re labels: people will label - it's almost inevitable, maybe even necessary for the human mind.

But, I'm thinking only the person involved knows what the label should be, and sometimes even they don't know the best or correct label.
We can also be different persons in different circumstances.

I take your point re charisma etc. not being enough and

how Pres. Obama's popularity has waned, though, obviously, they are not truly comparable.

Any "entrenched opposition" to Francis numbers only in the hundreds, at most, not a whole, billionaire-funded political party and attendant media.

Then, there's what I will call "the Catholic mind-set", which differs from the allegiance to a political figure in that the Pope is seen as the ultimate earthly Pastor or Shepherd. Although many Catholics differ or even disagree with certain policies, there is at some level the wish or desire to be united, in general.

This leads to a certain patience in waiting out with hope of eventual change as necessary. Not willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I guess this is what differentiates Catholics from Protestants, who were not, are not willing to wait it out.

Too many to mention. He's leading by example.

Lives in a simple room/apartment, drives an older car.
Takes the disabled in his arms and comforts them.
Carries his own luggage.
Mixes regularly with common people, students.
Telephones people who have reached out to him with their problems.
Gives off-the-cuff interviews with press.
Etc., etc., etc.

Papa Frank is not beloved because of his rhetoric, but because he lives out what he proclaims as his values.
And the world sees and recognizes this.

"he's not an economist."

An awful lot of people who aren't economists spout off on the subject.

OTOH, I'm not sure many economists should be taken seriously.
Economics is not an exact science.