From The Editor
Celebrate February All Month Long
February is filled with plenty of opportunities for celebration, beginning on the second day of the month with a little animal in Punxsutawney, Pa. I always enjoy the stories of Groundhog Day because it is a silly, whimsical celebration put on in this small town where Punxsutawney Phil has been making winter and spring predictions since 1886. The town officials claim there has only been one Phil all these years.
“Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the ‘elixir of life,’ a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, and it magically gives him seven more years of life,” states the official Web site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
We could all be so lucky and perhaps we already are if we remember to drink fully from the cup of life on a daily basis. Keeping love and romance alive in our lives moves us in the right direction, too. Those of us in long-term relationships should nurture them by spontaneous touches of love throughout the year. The rest of us — single by choice or happenstance — should consider finding that little something that allows us to fall in love just a little with another person. Studies have shown that the state of falling in love produces monamines, which have the power to excite us and make us feel happy. Our guide to Dating 101 by Jessica McHugh in this issue might inspire you to get out and enjoy some of the new ways to put a little romance in your life. Otherwise, I advise eating chocolate and lots of it — it contains the same chemicals. In the best of all worlds, we should fall in love and eat lots of chocolate. Perhaps this is Phil’s “elixir of life.”
February celebrates Black History and International Friendship Months. Crystal Henry sought out the history of black churches in our area because often the churches are the mainstay of the community and provide a glimpse into the lives of those who went before. Albert Isaac found out about the Sister Cities program and highlights his findings in this issue. Both of these commemorations celebrate diversity in the hope that knowledge points the way to finding our common ground as humans simply being.
I had the pleasure of spending the day with Alachua County’s new sheriff in January. Sheriff Sadie Darnell immediately made me feel at home in her comfy office, and we found common bonds throughout the day. Despite her overwhelming workload, she still found time to chat with me and share her philosophy for life. I hope you all enjoy this glimpse into the day of a pioneering woman who is an inspiration to all of us. Darnell represents the emerging new Senior. She retired two years ago, only to pick up a new challenging career at the age of 55. She told me she plans to stay involved in law enforcement for several more decades.
We at Senior Times toast you, the active and booming Senior, and wish for you many drinks from the cup containing the “elixir of life.”