The Friend Who Always Calls, 7 Benefits of Gardening, and Sharper Money Skills After Retirement

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History (Non-Fiction): White Supremacy: A Short History by John Broich – This powerful history traces how white supremacy emerged, evolved, and repeatedly reinvented itself from colonialism to the present day.

Memoir: The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel – Dava Sobel tells the remarkable story of the women at the Harvard Observatory whose work transformed our understanding of the stars.

Self-Help: The Now Habit by Neil Fiore – Neil Fiore offers practical strategies for overcoming procrastination, reducing guilt, and developing a healthier approach to productivity.

Romance: Bride by Ali Hazelwood – A marriage of convenience between a vampire and a werewolf leader turns a dangerous political alliance into an unexpected romance.

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Most of us can think of someone who seems to have a remarkable sense of timing. Just when life has been especially busy, a little lonely, tougher than usual, or simply ordinary, the phone rings. There's no special occasion, no urgent reason for the call—simply someone checking in because they were thinking about you.

These acts of friendship are easy to underestimate, but over time, they become some of the most valuable expressions of care we can experience.

One of the nicest things about these friendships is that the conversations don't always revolve around big news or heavy topics. Instead, they often begin with simple questions:

The conversation might wander through recipes, books, neighborhood happenings, or memories from years ago. The topic can be anything when the foundation of the conversation is the connection between two people.

Many lasting friendships aren't built through dramatic moments. They're built through small acts repeated over years. A friend who calls every Sunday afternoon, checks in once a month, or remembers birthdays without fail creates a comforting rhythm.

Over time, those conversations become something dependable—a familiar part of life that people look forward to.

One quality that makes these friends so special is their attention to detail. Weeks after a conversation, they might ask about something you forgot you even brought up:

Remembering small details tells people something important: You matter, and I was listening.

Some conversations last ten minutes. Others stretch comfortably over an hour. When shared with someone you care about, most of the time, neither feels rushed. There are pauses, laughter, stories that drift from one subject to another, and the comfortable feeling that there's nowhere else either person needs to be. 

Those conversations, regardless of their length or topic, typically leave people feeling lighter than they did before the phone rang.

Interestingly, people don't always remember every topic that was discussed. What they remember is the feeling the conversation conveyed: the feeling that something is thinking of you.

Knowing that someone paused during their day simply to ask how you're doing carries a meaningful kind of reassurance. It reminds us that friendship isn't measured only by how often people see one another but by how consistently they remain present in each other's lives.

It's easy to picture someone else in this role, but many people become this friend for others without realizing it. Perhaps you're the one who remembers birthdays, checks in after an appointment, or makes a habit of reaching out to someone who lives alone. Those simple acts of consistency frequently mean far more than you know.

Strong friendships are rarely built through grand gestures. More often, they grow through ordinary conversations and the simple habit of staying in touch. A phone call may seem like a small thing, but over the years, those small things form the foundation of a lasting friendship.

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.

The discount: Denny's

What it gives you: Features a 55+ menu with discounted meals and smaller portions

How to claim it: Ask for the 55+ Menu when ordering

“The Fishing Trip with My Father”
From the life overview of Kenneth D., 79, Rochester, Minnesota. Shared with permission.

Even though my father took me fishing on Lake Pepin every summer when I was growing up, there was one trip in particular that I remember best. It happened in 1959, when I was twelve.

We left before sunrise in his old Ford pickup, with a thermos of coffee for him and a paper bag filled with sandwiches that my mother had packed. I sat beside my father with my fishing rod between my knees. We didn’t talk much, which was typical for our trips. My father just wasn’t a talker in the car.

We rented a small aluminum boat from a man named Carl. He had kept about a dozen boats pulled up along the shore. My father showed me how to bait the hook without stabbing my finger with the point. I managed to poke myself anyway.

After we spent most of the morning fishing, we caught nothing.

When the wind picked up around noon, my father suggested we head back. However, I wanted to stay a while longer. I was convinced that the big fish were coming.

“We’ve been here four hours,” my father protested.

“They’re probably just getting hungry,” I replied.

He chuckled and started the motor.

On the drive home, we stopped at a roadside stand and picked up two root beers. I was disappointed about the fish, but I remember how amazing it felt sitting beside my father, drinking that root beer while the truck windows were down.

He died when I was thirty-four. I have no idea what happened to that fishing rod I used when I was young. I don’t even remember what we talked about on the drive home.

All I remember is that the root beer was cold and that my father let me finish his.

***

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

Sporcle
Sporcle has thousands of online quizzes covering history, geography, movies, music, literature, sports, science, and plenty of wonderfully obscure subjects. Some test serious knowledge while others are simply fun, and you can choose exactly how challenging you want your few minutes of trivia to be. It’s a good place to discover just how much seemingly useless information your brain has been faithfully storing.

Old Maps Online – Georeferencer
This online project turns looking at old maps into a hands-on activity. Volunteers help match points on historical maps with their modern locations, allowing the old maps to be accurately overlaid onto today's geography. No specialist knowledge is required, and each contribution helps make historical maps more useful to researchers and the public.

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Learning another language can make travel more rewarding, deepen your connection to your family heritage, or simply give you an interesting new challenge. You don't need to become fluent for the effort to pay off. Being able to order dinner, understand a song lyric, or have a brief conversation can be satisfying progress in itself.

Motivation is easier to maintain when you have a reason for learning. Perhaps you're planning a trip to Italy, have Spanish-speaking neighbors, or have always wanted to read French. Give yourself a specific first goal, such as learning enough vocabulary to introduce yourself and handle a basic restaurant conversation.

For structured daily practice, Duolingo offers short lessons in dozens of languages. Mango Languages focuses heavily on practical conversation and is available at no cost through many public libraries.

Reading vocabulary is useful, but regularly hearing native speakers helps you become familiar with pronunciation and rhythm. Listen to music, watch a familiar movie with foreign-language audio, or find beginner podcasts in the language you're studying.

Language Transfer offers free audio courses for several languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Greek, and Arabic. Its lessons focus on understanding how a language works rather than simply memorizing lists of words.

Don't wait until you feel "ready" to use the language. Write a grocery list, label household objects, describe what you're doing aloud, or practice a few sentences while making coffee.

When you'd like actual conversation practice, Tandem connects language learners with native speakers for text, audio, and video exchanges. Local libraries, cultural organizations, and community colleges may also host conversation groups.

Instead of worrying about how many words you've memorized, notice what you can do that you couldn't do a month ago. Perhaps you understand part of a restaurant menu or recognize a sentence in a movie.

Language learning is built from thousands of small discoveries. Give it a little attention each day, and those small victories gradually turn into real understanding.

Phone batteries naturally lose capacity as they age. A phone that once lasted all day may eventually need an afternoon charge, but shorter battery life isn't the only sign that the battery is wearing out.

A battery may be approaching replacement time if your phone:

Before assuming the battery is the problem, restart the phone and check whether a recently installed or updated app is consuming excessive power.

Many phones provide information about battery condition. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Some Android phones offer similar information under Settings > Battery, although the options vary by manufacturer.

One warning sign should be taken particularly seriously: swelling. If the screen or back of the phone begins lifting or separating, stop using and charging the device. A swollen lithium-ion battery can be a safety hazard and should be handled by a qualified repair service.

Cruise deal of the day: 3 Nights Pacific Coastal Cruise - departing September 18, from $239

Unmissable American gem: Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona is a peaceful mountain community in Arizona’s White Mountains known for its cool pine forests, sparkling lakes, and scenic drives that make it a refreshing retreat from the desert.

Looking for travel planning help? Fill out this form.

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: Small handheld screen used to look at 3-D picture reels.

ETVWESIRMA

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