Elana, with her busy and active schedule, is MIA at first but after a lot of waiting and wondering she finally calls back, then promptly kicks Allan out of the room. Once we yet again establish that “this thing is on” we reflect on her life, relationships, and the regrets she holds on to, including the “bad things” she did in her life and the apologies she feels others, particularly her sons, are due. She discusses the importance of making amends, and the lessons she learned from her past, and how those experiences not only helped in her relationships with others but have also helped shape her understanding of herself. We discuss the value of intuition, yet another trait we share, and how understanding relationships is discussed. Elana, as always, encourages pursuing opportunities and taking action because “if you don’t do anything then nothing happens in this life.” 

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In our third episode, once that we establish the fact that ‘yes, we are recording’, we explore various themes including family dynamics, the wisdom that comes with aging, humor being essential to get through any situation, and the value of authentic relationships. We discuss the the significance of living in the present and the challenges of navigating relationships, which includes the need for respect and compromise. The conversation also touches on facing mortality, the importance of letting go of perfectionism, prioritizing real connections with people, and lessons learned through life experiences. As our relationship with one another demonstrates, we discuss how we believe that real, true connections with people are built on honesty and understanding, and that if we can’t have humor, what's the point? 

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In this episode we focus on politics and delve into the significance of the Supreme Court in our historic and current political landscape. It was originally recorded in Feb 2023 but is still significant, perhaps even more so today, two years later.  We also discuss, in the context of politics, the importance of open dialogue and accepting differing viewpoints. We explore the nuances of meaningful conversations, the importance of living in the now, and the value of storytelling. Elana discusses her hatred of both being bored and being boring and shares some example of how she tries to shake things up at her senior living community when the conversation inevitably turns to grandkids and doctor visits.  That won’t fly with her so she gets the conversation going with everyone’s favorite mealtime topic - being faithful in your marriage. 

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In this pilot episode, I sit down with my now 92-year old mother in law, Elana Gordon, as she shares her remarkable life story and discusses the importance of humor, resilience, and love in the face of grief and adversity. From the losses of two husbands to starting over- and finding love- at 90, her story is not just inspirational but highlights the importance of always being open to growing and learning. Elana reflects on her relationships, the challenges of raising children alone, the lessons learned from her late husbands, and the power of family, support, and love. We discuss why she's doing this at this stage of her life after being encouraged for years to start a podcast, and she shows us how anyone can begin a new chapter in their life, no matter your age. 

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