Why Anticipation Matters, the Benefits of Resistance Training as You Age, and the Social Security Benefits You Shouldn’t Overlook

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Much of the pleasure we associate with special moments doesn’t happen during the event itself — it happens beforehand. Anticipation gives shape to time, lifts ordinary days, and creates a quiet sense of forward motion. For many people later in life, anticipation becomes one of the most reliable sources of enjoyment.

An event might last an afternoon, but anticipation can last weeks. Looking forward to a visit, a trip, a phone call, or even a favorite seasonal activity creates repeated moments of pleasure long before anything happens. Thinking about what you’ll cook, where you’ll sit, or who you’ll see allows enjoyment to arrive in small, steady doses.

Anticipation doesn’t require elaborate preparation. Marking a date on the calendar, choosing what book you’ll read next, or deciding which movie you’ll watch on Friday night is enough. These small decisions give the mind something pleasant to return to during the day.

As schedules loosen, days can blur together. Anticipation creates gentle landmarks in the week. Knowing that Tuesday means lunch with a friend or Sunday means settling in with a new book helps time feel organized without feeling busy. The event itself may be simple — the value lies in having something to look forward to.

Many people remember how they felt waiting for something just as clearly as the thing itself. Laying out clothes the night before a trip, counting down days to a visit with an old friend, or imagining conversations in advance all become part of the memory. Anticipation deepens meaning by extending the experience.

Anticipation brings lightness without demand. It doesn’t require energy, travel, or expense — only awareness. It turns ordinary days into a runway rather than a waiting room. The event will come and go. Anticipation allows joy to arrive early and linger longer.

“The Unsent Postcard”
From the life overview of Marjorie T., 84, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Shared with permission.

It’s been sitting in the top drawer for at least thirty years: a postcard from Taos. With its blue sky and adobe church, it looked like the kind of place people go when they’re trying to become someone else for a while.

I bought that postcard on a solo trip after my divorce. As I stood there in the gift shop, I thought about what I should write to my sister, or an old friend, or maybe the man I almost married before life veered off. I liked the idea of being briefly missed.

However, I never wrote anything. I worried that the message would sound foolish or unfinished, which, in hindsight, was exactly the point. So I slid the postcard into my purse and later into a drawer, where it quietly outlived entire chapters of my life.

Every few years, I come across that postcard and smile at my younger self. It’s funny to me that she was so careful with her words, she ended up not using any. The postcard doesn’t accuse me. It just waits.

At this point, I don’t plan to send it, as it’s no longer a message for someone else. Now it’s proof that I once imagined a different version of my life—and that imagining alone carried me further than I realized at the time.

***

Do you want to (1) capture your life story like above or (2) edit, format, and/or publish something you’ve worked on for years?

The Royal Society – Science in the Making
The Royal Society’s digital project highlights original scientific manuscripts, notebooks, and early printed works from figures such as Isaac Newton and Robert Hooke. The site combines high-quality images with concise explanations, offering a direct look at how scientific ideas developed over time.

The Internet Sacred Text Archive
This long-running nonprofit archive provides free access to religious, mythological, and philosophical texts from traditions around the world. The site is straightforward and text-focused, making it well suited to quiet reading and comparative exploration without commentary or distraction.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane: A Novel
by Lisa See
Li-yan grows up in a remote Chinese village where tea farming is bound to ancient ritual and tradition, but one life-altering decision separates her from her newborn daughter. As the child is adopted by an American couple, their stories unfold across continents, linked by heritage, longing, and the enduring pull of family. Rich in cultural detail and emotional depth, this novel explores identity, motherhood, and the quiet ways love travels across time and distance.

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Take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Even a few sentences are a memory preserved for loved ones.

Smart speakers can act as a hands-free assistant in your home. With a simple voice command, you can set medication reminders, wake-up alarms, cooking timers, and even recurring weekly alerts. Devices such as the Amazon Echo (Alexa) or Google Nest speakers (Google Assistant) make this process straightforward.

After plugging in your device, download the companion app:

Follow the step-by-step instructions in the app to connect the speaker to your home Wi-Fi. Once set up, you can simply say:

“Alexa, set a reminder for 8 a.m. to take my medication.”
“Hey Google, set an alarm for 7 a.m.”
“Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes.”

The speaker will confirm the request and notify you at the correct time. You can also ask, “What are my reminders today?” to hear them read aloud. If your hands are full or your phone is in another room, this can be especially helpful.

You can set repeating reminders for daily or weekly tasks. For example:

“Alexa, remind me every Monday at 9 a.m. to take out the trash.”
“Hey Google, remind me every day at 2 p.m. to check my blood sugar.”

In the Alexa app or Google Home app, you can also connect your calendar (such as Google Calendar or Outlook). Once linked, you can say, “What’s on my calendar today?” and hear your appointments.

Some users choose to enable location-based reminders through the app, which send alerts to your smartphone when you leave or arrive somewhere.

For privacy, review your voice history in the app settings and adjust permissions if needed. Both Amazon and Google provide clear privacy controls.

Used thoughtfully, a smart speaker can serve as a reliable daily assistant—helping you stay organized without needing to look at a screen.

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Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object! Be the first to reply with the correct answer, and we’ll send you a free gift in the mail.

Today’s clue: Hitchcock thriller seen from an apartment window.

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