Chosen Family, Managing Weight as You Age, and Navigating Retirement in 2026

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History (Non-Fiction): Stalingrad by Antony Beevor – This gripping history reconstructs the brutal battle between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union that became a decisive turning point of World War II.

Memoir: Bossypants by Tina Fey – This witty memoir looks back on an unconventional childhood, a groundbreaking comedy career, and the absurdities of work, motherhood, and life in the spotlight.

Romance: The Nanny by Lana Ferguson – A woman takes a nannying job with a handsome single father, unaware that their paths have crossed before in a much more intimate way.

✨ THIS WEEK'S FEATURED READ ✨

Prana Rising by Courtney Stough – This powerful new release explores how to stop performing the life you think you should live, reconnect with your authentic self, and reclaim the energy, creativity, and vitality that make you feel fully alive.

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Check a few boxes, and we’ll match you with trusted options and initial consultations—many completely free—across insurance, housing, travel, finances, and more. It takes about five minutes, and you’re not committing to anything—just seeing what can save you time and energy.

Family largely begins with the people we're related to, but over the course of a lifetime, many of us are fortunate enough to welcome others into that circle. A close friend, a longtime neighbor, a former colleague, a spouse, or someone from a community group may gradually join our innermost group. Before long, they're invited to holiday dinners, included in family celebrations, and thought of as "one of us."

While events like weddings, births, or adoptions mark the official inclusion of new family members, more often, family grows quietly, one shared experience at a time.

Lasting relationships are rarely rooted in dramatic events. Instead, they typically begin with a small encounter:

Those ordinary, sometimes chance moments lead to other, more intentional ones that, over time, build trust, familiarity, and genuine affection.

One of the things that distinguishes chosen family is consistency. They're the people who offer to drive you to an appointment, remember your birthday without a reminder, look after your house while you travel, call just to check in, and celebrate your good news as though it were their own.

These gestures may seem small, but they reveal something significant: a level of care that can’t be replicated through acquaintanceships.

At some point, the distinction between friend and family blurs. Suddenly, they’re getting invited to Thanksgiving dinner, summer barbecues, birthday celebrations, and Christmas gatherings. No one thinks twice about whether they'll be there. Their place at the table simply feels expected.

That's usually when you realize the relationship has become something deeper.

Chosen family isn't built on one person always giving and the other always receiving. Like any strong relationship, it's based on reciprocity.

Some years you may be the one offering help. Other times, they're the one checking in on you, lending a hand, or providing encouragement when you need it most. The support flows naturally in both directions—not due to pressure or expectations but because of mutual care.

Over the years, chosen family members collect pieces of your life. They know the names of your grandchildren. They remember the vacation you took on your honeymoon. They ask about the hobby you've recently taken up. They understand why certain anniversaries matter and celebrate your milestones alongside you. You don't have to explain your history every time you meet—they've become part of it, and you’ve become part of theirs.

One of the nicest things about family trees is that they always have space for new branches without compromising any others.. In fact, many families become richer precisely because they make space for people who offer kindness, loyalty, laughter, and companionship along the way. The strongest trees are those with the thickest branches and the fullest foliage.

Some of life's strongest relationships are the ones we never expected to have. Chosen family reminds us that belonging isn't only about shared ancestry—it's also about shared experiences, mutual care, and the simple decision to keep showing up for one another. Especially in later life, when those relationships have had years to mature, they can become some of the greatest gifts you can find.

We're looking for seniors who are embracing life with enthusiasm, purpose, and adventure. Whether you're traveling the world, starting a business, volunteering, pursuing a passion, learning new skills, or simply making the most of every day, we'd love to hear your story.

Think that might be you?

Email [email protected] with a photo and a short bio. We may feature you in an upcoming edition of Seniors Magazine.

You've lived through fashions that disappeared, returned, and somehow became expensive again.

The discount: Freddy's Senior Menu

What it gives you: Guests ages 55 and older can enjoy specially priced senior meals featuring a cheeseburger, hot dog, or chicken sandwich, each served with a small side and drink

How to claim it: Simply ask for a senior meal when ordering at participating Freddy's locations

Find more information here

“The Summer I Worked on a Farm”
From the life overview of Helen P., 79, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Shared with permission.

The summer after I graduated from high school in 1965, I worked on my uncle’s farm outside Lancaster. Since I grew up in town, I knew absolutely nothing about farming. My uncle assumed I would learn quickly.

If only that were true…

My first day, I started at five o’clock in the morning. I was supposed to help feed the chickens. The only problem was that I couldn’t find the chicken house. My uncle eventually found me standing beside the barn, holding a bucket and looking confused.

“You’ve been here ten minutes,” he said.

“I know,” I replied, feeling quite foolish.

“You haven’t gone anywhere.”

“I know that, too.”

Once I figured out what to do, I realized the work was hard. I gathered eggs, hauled feed, helped in the garden, and spent several miserable afternoons pulling weeds in the heat. By the end of the first week, my hands were covered in blisters.

But I began to like the rhythm of it. I also enjoyed how quiet the mornings were, except for the birds and machinery. At lunchtime, my aunt served enormous plates of food. She said nobody should work on an empty stomach.

One afternoon, a thunderstorm arrived while we were bringing hay into the barn. My uncle and I barely got everything inside before the rain started. We stood in the doorway, watching the field disappear behind a curtain of water.

My uncle handed me a nice cold bottle of soda.

“Not bad for a town girl,” he said.

I considered that a promotion.

***

Want to preserve for future generations the stories, experiences, and wisdom that have shaped your life?
Have Your Life Overview Written

Human Benchmark
How quickly can you react to a changing screen—or how many numbers can you hold in your memory at once? Human Benchmark offers a collection of simple online challenges testing reaction time, visual and verbal memory, typing speed, and pattern recognition. The fun is less about the score than trying again and seeing whether you can beat your own result.

Earth.fm – Nature Soundmap
Click around this interactive world map to hear real recordings from natural environments across the planet. You might land among lions and hippos in the Serengeti, hear a Himalayan forest waking at dawn, or listen to waves along the Albanian coast. With no narration required, it’s a wonderfully peaceful form of armchair travel through sound.

Family says parents’ savings drained in suspected elder financial abuse case

This daily section is brought to you by MemoirGhostwriting.com, experts in capturing life stories for loved ones and/or the public.

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Cross-stitch has a wonderfully simple rhythm: follow a pattern, count the squares, and make one small X at a time. There's no need to invent a design as you go, which makes it an appealing hobby when you want to keep your hands occupied while giving your mind something calm and focused to do.

For your first project, a kit saves you from figuring out which fabric, thread colors, and needle to buy separately. DMC's cross-stitch kits include the necessary fabric, thread, needle, instructions, and a hoop or frame.

Choose a small design marked beginner or easy rather than an intricate picture with dozens of colors. If you'd rather assemble your own supplies, 11- or 14-count Aida fabric has clearly defined squares and is a practical place to start. 11-count Aida fabric has larger squares than higher-count fabrics, which can make the holes easier to see.

A cross-stitch pattern is essentially a grid. Each symbol represents a thread color, and each square tells you where to make an X-shaped stitch.

DMC's introduction to cross-stitch includes tutorials and step-by-step diagrams for learning the technique. Once you've learned the basics, browse free cross-stitch patterns and download designs to print at home.

Good lighting makes detailed work much more enjoyable. Sit somewhere your hands and shoulders can remain relaxed, and keep your pattern close enough that you aren't constantly shifting your focus across the room.

There's also no requirement to finish a certain amount in one sitting. Ten or twenty minutes is enough to make visible progress on a small design.

Finished cross-stitch doesn't have to stay in the hoop. Small designs can become bookmarks, greeting cards, ornaments, patches, or framed pictures.

That's part of the pleasure: after dozens of quiet little stitches, you eventually look down and realize all those individual X's have become something worth keeping.

Account recovery emails deserve extra scrutiny because scammers often imitate messages about password resets, suspicious logins, or locked accounts. Before clicking anything, check whether the message makes sense.

Be cautious if an account recovery email:

A professional-looking logo or design doesn’t prove an email is genuine. Those elements are easy to copy.

If you’re unsure, don’t use the button or link in the message. Instead, open the company’s official app or type its website address into your browser yourself. Check your account there for security alerts or password-reset notices.

If there’s no corresponding alert in your account, the email may be fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the company through the support information on its official website.

Today: Provence, France

Provence is filled with hilltop villages, local markets, vineyards, olive groves, and beautiful countryside. It’s especially rewarding for travelers who enjoy food, scenery, and small-town charm.

Ingrid’s Tip: Don’t try to cover all of Provence in one trip. Stay several nights in one area and take relaxed day trips to nearby villages and markets.

Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object. Think you know it? Reply with your answer and show off your brainpower.

Today’s clue: Drawing toy that made intricate geometric patterns with gears.

GSARHIOPPR

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