10 Comments
User's avatar
Daniel Rosenblatt's avatar

Dear Doctor Schwartz, Your work "Before the Light Fades" is so poignant, so beautiful, with your permission I would like to print it and keep it in my office, at home, just so I can read it when I need a reminder or just a smile. Thank you in advance. Daniel Rosenblatt. Shalom Dan

Expand full comment
DocTalk, Allan N Schwartz PhD's avatar

Shabbat Shalom and yes, please do that. I would be honored.

Expand full comment
Susan's avatar

Doc, what you've written here is a valuable description of what many of us elders recognize. I do.

This is not how I feel all the time. I just have these moments. When I notice I'm there, I acknowledge it, as you have done in this heartfelt poem, and I decide how long I will stay there. If I decide to shift, I may write, go outside, look at the pics of the amazing artists and photographers here on Substack, look at the pics in my own library, etc etc.

I acknowledge what is happening around me, see if there is any value in feeling this way now, and then move on.

This is not the old age I had wanted, but it is giving me multiple opportunities to grow myself.

It may take some time, but invariably I end up at: It's good to be alive.

Thank you Doc.

Expand full comment
DocTalk, Allan N Schwartz PhD's avatar

Excellent observations and descriptions of yourself and I know it’s excellent because what you’re describing is exactly what I go through. No I do not stay there because that would be a tolerable and there is no need for it. That was a moment and I capture it on paper And I’m getting a lot of About it and I’m pleased. I hope everyone knows that what I described in the poem is not a permanent state of my emotional being.

Expand full comment
Susan's avatar

Doc, how nice to be on the same page with you.

Thank you,

Susan

Expand full comment
DocTalk, Allan N Schwartz PhD's avatar

You are welcome

Expand full comment
Marjorie Wolton-Maxted's avatar

Dear Allan, keep writing and thinking and go outside...otherwise you will become institutionalized and fed sleeping pills to keep you quiet. Get your daughters to take you out. It is the end of our lives, I am 85 and it is so angry making to find mobility going and brain fog. But your brain is so active. Either in prose or in verse, you writing is full od feeling and truth. God Bless Shalom. Marjorie xx

Expand full comment
DocTalk, Allan N Schwartz PhD's avatar

Dear Marjorie, shalom. I want to assure you that I do go out and I do not just sit at my desk. I wish I knew you directly I really do. I am 82. I don’t have brain fog at least not yet and I say that with a smile. I socialize with a number of people and I also have good friends in New York and we call each other regularly and chat. So I am hanging in there. He pleases me greatly that you enjoy my writing. The fact is that I get a lot of pleasure from the writing And so I really enjoy it. Please let’s continue to be in touch and I want you to know that I think of you as a good friend.

Expand full comment
Jeanne Elbe's avatar

This is beautiful. I am 69 and can identify. Simply put, we older folks are lonely and now with our lawless administration we are scared too.

Expand full comment