Welcome to this week’s podcast! We have a very special interview for you, with a “modern elder” named Pat Whitty. This remarkable septuagenerian (age 78) is the very picture of an Open Nester. Life changes, career changes, finding great meaning in his life in his Act IIl (or as Pat calls it ‘Chapter Four’) define this fascinating man.

Pat is an alumnus and community leader of an organization called M|E|A The Modern Elder Academy. This organization is in Baja, California and is positioned as a “mid-life business school.” People “connect with their wisdom” during two week visits to their campus. It’s about finding your path in your next chapter of life.

Pat Whitty calls himself a Modern Elder Whisperer. Through his own study of health, aging, and his own transition to a Modern Elder, Pat has a unique understanding of the emotional and psychological needs of elders.

Pat recently left his position as the Dean of the School of Business at a San Antonio university to pursue a new career as a Health and Life Transition Coach helping people in midlife and beyond write the next chapter of their life.

He has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development from Incarnate Word University. He was manager of Leadership and Management Training at Chase Bank for 10 years.

Pat is the president of the Rotary Club of San Antonio at the Dominion.

More About Pat

Pat has been in this space for a long time. He owned the Dale Carnegie Training franchise in South Texas for most of his life. There they focused on personal development, communication skills, leadership, and management. Most recently he found himself to be the dean at a school of business in San Antonio, TX. He observed his life there. Private parking space, prestige, responsibility. Yet he was mostly just answering emails all day long where the dialogue was mostly about “CYA… covering your ass.” THIS was not how Pat wanted to spend the rest of his days. He made a decision to leave that big job… voluntarily… at age 78!! At this age that is most certainly a “bridge burned!”

Pat formed his company “Chapter Four Coaching.” The name comes from Pat’s mom’s advice:

Chapter One: “Get a Good Education”

Chapter Two: “Find a Real Good Job with a Real Good Company”

Chapter Three: “Retire and Live Happily Every After” 

For Pat it’s all about Chapter Four.

My old self stalks me

Like a jilted lover

Keeping me from the new person

I’m eager to discover

That person did not make me happy

Yet it is still pulling on me

The security of misery

Is keeping me from being free

Am I Vladimir or Estragon

Waiting for Godot

Wasting my life away

In search of someone I don’t know

I’m hearing the call

Ready for the adventure

Can’t cross the threshold

Until I find a mentor

Why am I afraid of uncertainty

Seduced by the illusion of knowing

It’s all in the past

Keeping me from growing

The whales in the ocean

Come up for air

Their water spouts telling me

They know it will be there

What should I do

As I hang in mid-air

Let go. Let go

Trust that it will be there

We want to provide you with support and many many resources for your own Open Nesting Journey. Our resource page has so much to offer as does our private discussion group on Facebook about queerness and other topics of interest:

Open Nesters Resource Page

The Open Nesters Private Facebook Group

Resources from Pat Whitty

Pat’s Private Facebook Group

Modern Elder Academy