Celebration Magazine Blog
#CelebratingLifeAfter60

by Dan Price In the 1980’s, in the prime of my childhood, there were a few absolutes that I could always count on: Diff’rent Strokes was hilarious, the Texas Rangers were going to tank the season, and my grandparents were going to send me $20 and an inappropriate card for my birthday. And Grandma would take me to the mall when she visited even though she never drove a car and Grandpa would take us all over Los Angeles to sight see, even though he couldn’t see at all. They we

by Art Monroe Wanda White has always known how to make art in whatever space life gives her. As a child, that space was modest, to say the least. “I started drawing behind a chair when I was 4,” she says. Wanda, the studio, and the artistic instinct eventually grew, of course. For nearly 77 years, Wanda has followed that instinct through classrooms, hospitals, murals, cameras, watercolors, digital art, and the occasional wrestling match with technology. Her creative life has

by Mary Frances Hansen As we know, life has its ups and downs and is full of unexpected circumstances we didn't choose. Regardless of our circumstances, we can choose our attitudes, and we need to choose perseverance over defeat. A positive quote by Pastor Joyce Meyers, “A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you!” How promising is that? Perseverance (often translated as endurance or steadfastness) is the st

by Jill O’Connell, Master Gardener A garden is an ever-changing work of art. The change of seasons brings new colors and new color palettes to our most familiar surroundings. Artist Claude Monet, who has been called the father of impressionist art, is attributed with saying “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” The garden he was referring to is his garden at his home in Giverny, France. Monet had been a gardener throughout his life. He designed, curated, and crea

by Tina H. We all know someone who has said, “I love music!” but can only name three artists and listens to one genre. Hello, that's me. I’m “someone.” I’ve never been crazy into music like some people are. I usually just listen to whoever is on the radio or whatever sounds catchy. It works for me! My wonderful mother-in-law, or my boss, depending on the day, loves to burst into song and dance her iconic “Debra Shuffle.” She’ll ask me if I’ve ever heard of the song she is sin

by Patty Clark My eight and ten-year-old granddaughters found artistic fulfillment recently in sketching my portrait. Undeniably great work, but I still had to ask, “What’s up with all those wrinkles?” “That’s your face,” one of them said. The other helpfully clarified, “We didn’t even draw all of them.” What was I to do when earnest truth-tellers come at me with the conviction of Renaissance masters?? Unable to leave well enough alone, the eldest leaned in and said, “Hold st

by CP Byrd Before Dan Bell ever worked in radio, he was already listening for it. As a boy in Plano, he slept with a transistor radio under his pillow and drained the battery nearly every night, pulling in whatever signals the dark would give him—Dallas, Chicago, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Del Rio. If it could reach him, he wanted to hear it. “I was a radio junkie,” he says. That habit became something much more. After graduating from Plano High School, Dan served in the Arm

by Alan Linq Some people find their calling all at once. Others back into it slowly, following one small “yes” after another until a life begins to take shape. Estelle Florey-Carter seems to have found hers in eight counts, a pair of tap shoes and the firm belief that if joy is available, it ought to be shared. Growing up in Longview, Texas, Estelle was drawn early to music and dancing. She worked for her dance lessons by helping at a local studio. Before long she was teachin

by Lillie Miller Most drivers heading through Melissa on Highway 5 pass a small church that’s easy to overlook amid the rapid growth transforming Collin County. But this church is one of the oldest surviving pieces of Black history in the area. St. Paul Baptist Church was once the heart of a small but enduring Freedmen’s community in Melissa, Texas. Melissa’s story is part of a much larger Texas story. Following Emancipation, formerly enslaved people across Texas began establ

by Cook Chiropractic Center For more than 40 years, Dr. Philip Cook, DC has been helping patients do something that matters more with each passing year—get their lives back. Whether it’s walking without pain, sleeping through the night, or enjoying time with family, his focus has always been on restoring comfort, mobility, and independence. When Dr. Cook first opened his practice, chiropractic care wasn’t as widely understood as it is today. Many patients came to him only aft

By Dave Friant Jocularity. Defined by the wizards at Merriam-Webster as “a usually habitual fondness for jesting or joking.” It seems to be a spot-on characteristic of my approach to life since early adulthood. Doing my part to offset in some way(s) the too often stressful existences of folks. Maintaining some degree of reasonableness with the efforts is often my Achillies heal; that awkward point where intended bits of humor reverse course and descend to the point of near

by Rose-Mary Rumbley, originally published August/September 2013 You remember Eleanor Roosevelt's column, MY DAY, the comic strip, THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS, and Ripley's BELIEVE IT OR NOT. From 1935 to 1962 Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a daily column titled MY DAY. She missed only 4 days in 1945 when her husband President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died. She wrote of her activities, of her views on social and political issues, and of historical events. Everyone read MY DAY including m

by Dr. Brian Nwannunu, Orthopedic Surgeon Many adults assume that joint pain is simply part of getting older. While occasional aches and stiffness are common, persistent hip or knee pain that limits your activity, independence, or enjoyment of life should not be ignored. Today’s joint replacement procedures are designed not just to relieve pain, but to help people stay active, mobile, and engaged in the activities they love. So how do you know when it may be time to consider

by Phyliis Jenkins How many of you remember the Bozo the Clown show? I still remember the excitement of walking into the local studio, KTBS Channel 3, in my hometown of Shreveport, LA. With ten of my friends by my side, I celebrated my 12th birthday in a way that felt larger than life. When Bozo stepped onto the stage, we cheered, screamed, and clapped. Oh, what a fun and memorable experience! I didn’t fully understand it then, but being born on the Fourth of July meant t

by Kim Marvel This story is about three occasions when my wife and I performed for an audience. My wife is an accomplished singer. Me? Far from it. And though we are introverts, we summoned the courage to step on the stage together. We sang music from Fiddler on the Roof. The well-known musical, composed in 1964, includes iconic songs such as Sunrise, Sunset; Matchmaker; and Tradition. In the story, Tevye and his wife Golde navigate life’s many hardships and the challenge of

by Dave Friant It was a 2025 Christmas gift from my youngest granddaughter. Ella, the artsy one from Texas State University, who's carefully considered gift-giving practices continue to impress. Three tickets to a Kreative Harmony string quartet concert at The Joules, an upscale Dallas hotel. The renown group known for their mastery of diverse genres of melodious compositions. Popular songs by Abba and Queen were the scheduled highlights for our night. I was fortunate enou

by Jill Rumbley Beam Since the June and July issue is about Arts and entertainment, I’m all over that! Literally, even before I was born, I was in a musical. My mom, Rosemary Rumbley, was cast as the lead, Nellie Forbush, in a production of South Pacific. She was about 6 months pregnant with me, and in one of the scenes, the song, Wash that Man right out of my hair, and the girls had to literally get their hair wet, on stage. Mother would frequently go to her doctor du

by Shanon Weaver Seasoned Soul did not begin with a marketing plan, a slick audition piece, or somebody in a conference room deciding what “the audience” wanted. It began the old-fashioned way—with a handful of performers and the sudden realization that when the right voices find each other, the room just knows. The group’s roots are in the Dallas-based Spectacular Follies. In 2024, director Deanne Meese put together a Motown segment for the show, bringing individual singers

by Katie Butler Johnson My Mom was a professional dancer. I was never going to be a professional dancer because I was built chunky like my Dad. But,I always loved to dance. When the Evening Stars Tap Troupe started in McKinney nearly 30 years ago, I got a second chance to visit being a dancer. I knew I’d never be another Ann Miller, but I also knew that I’d have a lot of fun trying. So, when the Evening Stars began in McKinney the fall of 1998, I was one of the first to sign

by Dave Friant Europe had always been on the list of possible “let’s give it a go” journeys. Experiencing different cultures and customs while eyeballing some noteworthy historical treasures did generate some interest. There was furthermore a curious enthusiasm about enjoying foreign delicacies served by waitstaff with delightful accents. Our offspring were anxious for us to tap into an overseas adventure. Our years on earth at the time (72 and 70) seemed to be spot-on for