In this edition of "Modern Aging," our WEMU feature about “a new way of aging,” WEMU’s Lisa Barry talks with Dr. Theresa Reid, who was inspired by a new book by dancer Twyla Tharp, encouraging us to keep moving as we age.
About "Keep it Moving: Lessons for the Rest of Your Life"
Keep It Moving is a series of no-nonsense mediations on how to live with purpose as time passes. From the details of how she stays motivated to the stages of her evolving fitness routine, Tharp models how fulfillment depends not on fortune—but on attitude, possible for anyone willing to try and keep trying. Culling anecdotes from Twyla’s life and the lives of other luminaries, each chapter is accompanied by a small exercise that will help anyone develop a more hopeful and energetic approach to the everyday.
Dr. Reid's Thoughts on Tharp's Book
"I love this book. It’s full of no-nonsense advice from one of the greatest choreographers and dancers of the 20th (or any) century. Tharp’s dozen chapters are short and bracing, and each one includes an exercise. I love that Exercise 1 is “Take Up Space.” She means, of course, psychic as well as physical space. She is telling us, first thing: Do not let yourself be diminished by ageism. Her second exercise is titled, “Practice Pushing Back,” but I wish she’d called it “Push Your Pledge,” because the point of this chapter, “The Life We Choose,” is that our continued growth depends upon making and keeping a pledge to ourselves. A pledge is different from a goal: a goal can be reached; a pledge requires us to keep striving forever. We’re more accustomed to thinking of our purpose at this life stage, but I’ve decided I prefer “pledge,” because it’s a sacred promise to yourself. Keep It Moving is a book to be savored and used, piece by piece by piece. My advice: Get it now."
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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu
