tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post3345827803204891168..comments2020-03-14T11:25:08.639-04:00Comments on Boomer Lit Friday: Guest Post from Boomer Lit Author Shelley Lieber (Elyse Grant)Shelley Lieberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-18475539044065302013-05-28T11:00:26.725-04:002013-05-28T11:00:26.725-04:00Thanks so much for your insightful observations, C...Thanks so much for your insightful observations, Claude. Indeed, it is the contrast of dark and light, good and bad, and weak and strong that gives rise to good literature. And so, we need not think that being in the moment and living life full out means that the contrast is not felt. Rather, it means having the consciousness to celebrate all of life—the ups and downs—because that is what gives us an appreciation of life as well as material for literature. From that perspective, it's possible to see the light even on on the darkest days.Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-7707197218582943842013-05-28T10:23:25.865-04:002013-05-28T10:23:25.865-04:00Thanks for sharing your boomer moment and it's...Thanks for sharing your boomer moment and it's been fun reading through the comments here...I love this so-very-American approach to aging, making it into NOTHING like a descent into old age but as a fantastic opportunity to stat a NEW chapter in life!<br /><br />There are times the "twinkle in my eyes" as Marsha would define it, or "sustaining the Lacie life" as you put it, would be something I would love to be able to achieve. But it can be very hard, especially as a typical boomer sandwiched between my Mom (turning 100 this year) and my grown-up children, I find sometimes little space to breathe - not to mention how hard it is to watch a person you love (my Mom) descend into truly old age, a place from where you don't come back.<br /><br />I know that is a tragic dimension rejected vigorously by our Boomer Lit Goodreads Group members and I applaud that. It is a sign of good health, of vibrant can-do optimism - as I said above, so very American. Wonderful!<br /><br />From a literary point of view, I'm not sure we should reject pessimism or a sense of the Passing of Time with so much passion. That is the stuff of tragedy and often of great literature: to be able to grasp the fragility of life, the good, yes, but the bad too.The strong and the weak. The whole of life. It's not necessarily all a walk in the sunshine, there's a shaded side to the street as well...Claude Forthommehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871790739257823515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-72461380170733350692013-05-25T12:29:20.925-04:002013-05-25T12:29:20.925-04:00Thank you, Sharon. I'm so pleased at the respo...Thank you, Sharon. I'm so pleased at the response of other boomers and boomer lit authors to the concept of the enlightening "boomer moment."Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-46683072022958136452013-05-25T10:26:14.150-04:002013-05-25T10:26:14.150-04:00Wonderful post, Shelly! I think I have boomer mome...Wonderful post, Shelly! I think I have boomer moments all the time and they are a great influence on my writing. Enjoyed reading this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-72697209295365770722013-05-25T10:06:35.957-04:002013-05-25T10:06:35.957-04:00Marsha, I'm so glad you enjoyed the post! I th...Marsha, I'm so glad you enjoyed the post! I think the spirit of the Boomer Moment and what you describe in your book is the essence of what characterizes our generation and sets it apart from all others. Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-90136799414098545782013-05-25T10:02:56.547-04:002013-05-25T10:02:56.547-04:00I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Special thanks...I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Special thanks go to you for sharing your Boomer Moment, which would be my preference, too!<br />Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-5005379897022647822013-05-25T09:59:02.522-04:002013-05-25T09:59:02.522-04:00Yes! I like to call it "wisdom." ;-) Tha...Yes! I like to call it "wisdom." ;-) Thanks so much for your comments.Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-59748698066429237892013-05-25T09:57:25.290-04:002013-05-25T09:57:25.290-04:00Thank you, Michael, for your kind feedback...and f...Thank you, Michael, for your kind feedback...and for helping make this a great blog with your contributions ;-)Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-79236698138362844242013-05-24T13:29:57.671-04:002013-05-24T13:29:57.671-04:00Shelley, thank you so much for sharing your feelin...Shelley, thank you so much for sharing your feelings so candidly. I don't know if you've had a chance to read my Mutinous Boomer book yet or not, but that's essentially what it's about. I had lost the "twinkle in my eye" or as you put it, that sense of joyfulness that comes so naturally when we're younger. My book is about the process I went through to reconnect with that "twinkle." I love your term: The Boomer Moment. Perfect. In fact, I've found that we have to have them every single day to stay in that wonderful place of appreciating every moment. And when tough things happen, we have to remind ourselves how precious life is. Thanks again, for sharing, Shelley. A beautiful post - my favorite of yours, so far!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-84307115678328787932013-05-24T11:28:57.241-04:002013-05-24T11:28:57.241-04:00My boomer moment came this week. My Dad passed awa...My boomer moment came this week. My Dad passed away on Tuesday. Of course, being the writer in the family, I was charged with writing his obituary. So what did I do? I wrote two: one for the public, and one just for me. The one just for me was full of wickedly funny humor and tidbits I would never even share with the rest of my family. That's the one he really would have wanted. Instead of bawling, I laughed my head off. My version is going in the safe.Courtney Piercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16063468379384232547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-38209123484157447882013-05-24T10:57:42.202-04:002013-05-24T10:57:42.202-04:00Thank you Shelley, for giving me a new word to des...Thank you Shelley, for giving me a new word to describe my "moments". ;) I love it! A boomer myself, I wrote about menopause and I believe that as women, it gives us a clarity and a focus that we did not have in our younger years! Here's to boomers!Penelopehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15076629820163587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-1773839489158806072013-05-24T10:12:56.417-04:002013-05-24T10:12:56.417-04:00We need to cherish and share our special boomer mo...We need to cherish and share our special boomer moments. Thanks for introducing the concept and a great blog.Michael Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00483135903100647813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-27503604139353570102013-05-24T10:05:33.324-04:002013-05-24T10:05:33.324-04:00Thank you for giving us "The Boomer Moment,&q...Thank you for giving us "The Boomer Moment," the perfect name for those great moments of clarity and perspective that we all hope to have. We can find passion and wonderment at any age! <br /><br />MarianAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-67919479062669228302013-05-24T09:53:14.637-04:002013-05-24T09:53:14.637-04:00I think these Boomer Moments actually "youthe...I think these Boomer Moments actually "youthenize" us!Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-40028738497073338632013-05-24T09:52:34.125-04:002013-05-24T09:52:34.125-04:00I just LOVE that quote!I just LOVE that quote!Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-55358107013900271072013-05-24T09:52:03.405-04:002013-05-24T09:52:03.405-04:00Thanks, Beth. I feel so fortunate to have a callin...Thanks, Beth. I feel so fortunate to have a calling that can fulfill and sustain me. Shelley Lieberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910399585903473302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-39212985356650094072013-05-24T09:30:01.187-04:002013-05-24T09:30:01.187-04:00I keep having variations of the same Boomer moment...I keep having variations of the same Boomer moment. The first time it came was through writing my book <a href="http://www.betsyrobinson-writer.com/conversations_with_mom_108329.htm#.UZ9pWyqtPgs" rel="nofollow"><i>Conversations with Mom: An Aging Baby Boomer, in Need of an Elder, Writes to Her Dead Mother</i></a>. It's a book about grappling with a need for permission to be who you are. The second time I had the moment was slightly different, but because it's not a spoiler, I'll share the insight: In a sense, I witnessed something I thought I'd wanted when I was much younger and I didn't get it. In a moment of radiant clarity, I realized that even if I'd gotten it, I'd be done with it now. I'm at a stage of alternately inertia, doneness, and transition to I-know-not-what. And I realized that this would be happening no matter what because it's not connected to any story or achievements or lack of achievements. It's just where I am physically, psychologically and spiritually. And it feels like a relief to know that.betsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13809453094881187540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-1453809622496488382013-05-24T08:27:01.990-04:002013-05-24T08:27:01.990-04:00I love the concept. I need to type a little faste...I love the concept. I need to type a little faster.saraphenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901259134387926833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7769734718564477239.post-17333161426884628692013-05-24T05:28:12.830-04:002013-05-24T05:28:12.830-04:00I love the concept of the Boomer Moment, those big...I love the concept of the Boomer Moment, those big picture moments when we can separate the wheat from the chaff and realize what is truly important. I have to agree that writing is one of those special activities that beckons me away from the mundane into a special place. Lovely post. Beth Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02447148196867821907noreply@blogger.com