Late Bloomers
I (author Maureen Osis) chose the term "Late Bloomer" to describe people who pursue and/or express a new talent, ability or success in later life. I invite you to enjoy the stories of three individuals who are exploring new interests and inspiration in their later years.
"I am a late bloomer in many ways, but at least I am blooming, not withering."
Chin-Sun Lee
What is a Late Bloomer?
In the article Late Bloomers in the Prime of Life Michael Going describes them as people who arrive at their full potential as well as their peak of creativity and productivity after the age of sixty and beyond.
There are many examples:
- 'Grandma' - Anna Mary Robertson Moses -- began her painting career in her seventies after giving up embroidery because of arthritis.
- Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book Little House in the Big Woods when she was 64.
- When forced to retire at the age of 70, Peter Mark Roget launched a new endeavour. By age 73, his Thesaurus was published and he oversaw every update until his death at 90 years old.
- Kathryn Joosten was a psychiatric nurse for many years; at age 70 she starred in the TV series, The West Wing.
There are also "continuing bloomers" - those who continue their path of creativity and productivity well-past the age that many think of as retirement.
- Nirad C. Chaudhuri's continued to write until age 100, when Three Horsemen of the New Apocalypse was published.
- At the age of 70, Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Choices after Retirement
Retirement is not a date - or even a destination. It is a journey. One that might last for decades. You create your own path. Or multiple paths during the journey. You make choices about your identity and your activities during this phase of life.
In her book, Retire Smart, Retire Happy, psychologist Nancy Schlossberg described six common paths taken by retirees. Some of these groups share the qualities of "Late Bloomers".
Brief, Schlossberg described the groups:
- Adventurers seek to pursue an unrealized dream; may start self-employment. Often keen to engage in new learning opportunities and to develop skills in areas previously set aside.
- Continuers maintain but modify their former identity: a retired teacher becomes a volunteer tutor; a construction worker offers to help friends with projects.
- Involved spectators stay involved in some capacity with their former careers; as volunteers or as advisors/mentors.
- Searchers look for a new niche. They ask, "what's next." Might find fulfillment with one role and then move on to another.
- Easy gliders worked all their lives and now seek a relaxed and rewarding life-style.
- Retreaters unfortunately might retreat from life and become isolated.
Three Personal Stories
Let's meet three people who have created their own paths and unique identities in their later years.
I contacted each of them and asked whether they were "Late Bloomers". I also asked them to describe the paths they have taken since retirement. They kindly agreed to write their stories, which I share below.
First we meet an "Adventurer" who has pursued her dream of becoming an author and has published four books since retiring from her career as chief legal officer of a multi-national corporation.
Next is a woman who, despite challenges, is not slowing down in her seventh decade. As a "Continuer" she engages in her career as a counselor. As a "Searcher" she is actively developing a new career as a "seniorpreneur".
Last, we will hear from a man who says he is not a Late Bloomer -- but would certainly qualify as an "Adventurer" who continually pursues learning opportunities.
Meet Susan Wright, Self-declared Late Bloomer
Susan is well known to members of CALL (Calgary Association of Lifelong Learners) for her presentations:
• In 2022, she was a member of a panel for a special CALL presentation: Whither Democracy: Egalitarianism or Authoritarianism.
Susan kindly agreed to answer a few questions that I had about Late Bloomers.
Do you think of yourself as a Late Bloomer?
The only thing I’ve ever done “early” was get married at 18. Thankfully, I picked the right guy and we’re still together. After that I was “late” for everything. I started law school at 29 and was a good 5 years older than the rest of my graduating class. I had my kids in law school at 30 and 32. I became a political blogger at 56; I ran for political office at 62; and I published my first novel at 69. I’m the epitome of the “repeat late bloomer.”
In his book
Late Bloomers: The Hidden Strengths of Learning and Succeeding at your Own Pace, Rich Karlgaard lists the strengths of late bloomers, including insight, resilience, compassion, and wisdom. Notably, late bloomers maintain a youthful and vigorous curiosity.
Do you think that some of the strengths identified by Karlgaard apply to you?
I certainly hope so! Karlgaard is right that the most important attribute of a “late bloomer” is an irrepressible sense of curiosity. Life is an incredible journey, whether we’re tracking the progress of the James Webb telescope or signing up for adult French classes, we owe it to ourselves to take in as much as we can before we peg it. The one thing I’d add to Karlgaard’s list is the importance of a loving and supportive family who’ll say “sure, go for it” when you announce your next crazy idea.
Please describe the accomplishments you have had in your later years. What motivated you to work on these?
I became a political blogger because I was deeply concerned about our government’s healthcare policies. The blog quickly grew to include all manner of government policy and led to appearances on TV and radio and writing assignments for local media. My work received awards from the legal community and Public Interest Alberta. The best part of the experience was my “community” grew to include even more people who care about each other.
In my late sixties, I decided to pursue my dream of being a mystery writer. I’ve written three books, with a fourth being published in the fall; the first was a finalist for a Canadian Crime Writers award. Like blogging, writing has opened the doors to an entirely new community of writers and that’s incredibly satisfying.
What advice do you have for others to pursue their passion -- at any age?
Trust yourself. Don’t over think it. Just do it.
Other advice you want to share?
The beauty of being a late bloomer is that it opens up your world. While the lives of others grow smaller as they age, yours will expand. You’ll develop new interests, you’ll make new friends, and the world will sparkle in ways you never dreamed possible.
Learn more about Susan Wright
Meet Patricia Morgan, Seniorpreneur
I have known Patricia Morgan for many years. Patricia describes herself as a Late Bloomer -- thriving as a spunky 'seniorpreneur'.
Here is her story, written in her words.
“You inspire me, Patricia,” hits my ears with mixed feelings. For me, as a night owl, the main accomplishment is getting out of bed in the morning. But some days I am stunned by my “back then” and my “here and now” story.
Because of childhood abuse and believing I was stupid, I failed grade seven and later dropped out of high school. Along came marriage, then children, then bouts of rage and health issues, and finally significant therapy to calm trauma. At age 38, I graduated with a master’s degree in clinical psychology and began a more fulfilling life.
My past fueled my passion for learning, writing, and helping others. The path to becoming a resilient and spunky seniorpreneur was paved with many challenges but also self-discovery, and encouraging friends, teachers, mentors. Today, at seventy-seven, I am not only healthier, regardless of dealing with breast cancer, but also continue developing and sharing my gifts.
One of my skills is the ability to distill complex ideas into accessible knowledge and action. I recently received the national Canadian counseling book award for Return to Center: Simple Strategies to Navigate Distress, Depression, and Disconnection, which uses simple language to explain the Polyvagal Theory.
I still actively write; provide counseling therapy services; deliver a monthly online psycho-education session for Maskwacis Cultural College; and lead professional development sessions for various non-profit organizations.
The benefits of lifelong learning and contributing to the community help keep my mind sharp and adaptable. I know the importance of a growth mindset and want to stay relevant in an ever-changing world. Contributing to the community creates opportunities to connect with others, share experiences, and build a supportive network.
In essence, I want to "burn out, not rust out", and while I’m here and when I can, I revel in uplifting others. May you also reap the benefits of resilience, continuous growth, and heartfelt contribution.
Looking at Schlossberg's categories, I would describe Patricia as both a "Continuer" as she still provides counselling services, and an "Adventurer", as she explores new challenges as a professional educator, presenter and author.
Learn more about Patricia Morgan.
Meet Bill Mansell
Bill Mansell is a retired anesthesiologist, a family man with children and grandchildren.
I heard about Bill when I interviewed a CALL member for a previous Blog Post, Appreciating Poetry and Mental Health.
When I was told that Bill was learning to write poetry, I wondered if he thought of himself as a 'Late Bloomer.' His answer was:
"No. My poetry is very simple and amateur. It gives me pleasure but I offer no threat to Philip Larkin."
Further, Bill has no desire to be a published poet. He described his journey in this way.
"I retired 14 years ago from a career I very much enjoyed, Anesthesiology. Medicine is demanding and takes a lot of time and energy. As they say, my knowledge was 'an inch wide and 5 miles deep'.
Finished with my career, I realized I had freed up a lot of time. I knew what I wanted to do – I wanted to catch up on other subjects. I now have an insatiable appetite for neglected fields, almost anything and everything. I became a CPL [Central Public Library] member and have been doing a lot of reading. It can be literature, philosophy, politics, and yes, now poetry.
I joined the CALL poetry group and have been encouraged by Melvin Pasternak and Barbara Grant. The group includes many learned and enthusiastic lovers of poetry. Most of the time I just listen to their appraisals and presentations (which is only right since I thought all poetry rhymed!). I started writing poetry so I could appreciate how difficult it can be."
When asked if he had advice for others, Bill replied: "Life offers opportunities. As Yogi Berra said: 'If you come to a fork in the road -- take it'."
Though not a 'Late Bloomer', Bill shows us what an "Adventurer" looks like post-retirement.
Learn more about Bill Mansell.
What Does it Take to be a Late Bloomer?
Rich Karlgaard noted that Late Bloomers have insight, resilience, compassion and wisdom.
Ramesh Dontha, author of Life After 40? Get Inspired by These 52 Late Bloomers, wrote:
"The most important traits that are common to these people seem to be: Passion, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Positive Attitude."
Reading the answers/stories from Susan, Patricia and Bill, I would add that these three individuals each have a superpower in common -- and that is "curiosity".
"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."
Dorothy Parker
There might be a "cure for curiosity."
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Author
Maureen Osis
Maureen retired from her career -- first as a Gerontological Nurse and then a Marriage/Family Therapist in private practice working with mid-life and older adults. Maureen has published numerous articles and books, related to her professions. She is a member of CALL because she is passionate about learning. She is a volunteer with CALL, doing social media and the primary author of the blog, because she likes to face new challenges.
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Susan Jane Wright
Susan was the chief legal officer of a multi-national corporation before she became a writer and blogger. Her work took her from the boardrooms of Houston to the streets of Beijing.
Susan writes a political blog Susan on the Soapbox which won a Clawbie in 2013 for the best legal blog for a non-legal audience.
She writes mystery novels under the name Susan Jane Wright (it’s amazing how many Susan Wrights are out there!). When she’s not writing, she’s travelling with her husband and two daughters. Her favourite vacation was a trip from Prague to London on the Orient Express. One day she’ll take the train from Venice to Istanbul.
Susan has two websites: her political blog is: https://susanonthesoapbox.com
More information about her as an author: https://susanjanewright.ca
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Patricia Morgan
With a master’s degree in clinical psychology, Patricia Morgan works with organizations and individuals that want to strengthen their everyday resilience. Audiences describe Patricia’s message as meaningfully fun, surprisingly insightful and delightfully uplifting.
Her books include the counselling award winning, Return to Center: Simple Strategies to Navigate Distress, Depression, and Disconnection; the women’s resiliency guide, From Woe to WOW: How Resilient Women Succeed at Work; and the Canadian best seller, Frantic Free: 167 Ways to Lighten Up and Calm Down.
Patricia was named a Woman of Vision by Global TV and is a recipient of the Spirit of CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Speakers) for her contribution to the Canadian speaking industry.
Patricia continues to be a people booster in her role as a counselling therapist, author, speaker, and mentor. Check her out and see her in action at www.SolutionsForResilience.com
Contact her at patricia@SolutionsForResilience.com or 403-830-6919.
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Bill Mansell
Bill Mansell is a retired physician with a passion for learning. As a member of the CALL interest group, Joy of Poetry, he began writing poetry.
If you are curious about his work, you can read one of his poems: MAN THE WISE
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