"Fabulous after Fifty™" is the Syndicated On-Line Weekly Column by Shirley W. Mitchell, a National Author/Writer/Syndicated Columnist/Speaker and Celebrity Radio Talk Show Host, also known as "The Golden Egg of Aging™" -  View some of the most inspirational and motivational articles on aging, baby boomers, seniors, senior lifestyles, health, diet, exercise, business, women's and men's issues, specific topic articles, poems, writings, recipes, area news, and special people. Shirley W. Mitchell's "Passion" for encouraging Aging people is both Contagious and Intense! We have the Ability to Change Aging History with our "Pulse" & "Faith". To Teach. To Educate. To Transform. If you enjoy the Articles posted here, you will certainly enjoy my Column Articles within  "Senior Lifestyle Magazine". "Fabulous after Fifty™" is fashioned after her "Lace Over Steel™" and "Fabulous after Fifty™" Weekly Newspaper Columns that appeared in the Sand Mountain Reporter of Albertville, Alabama. We want to thank the newspaper and all our readers for their support over the past 25+ years Ms. Mitchell's Column was printed. We inspire to bring more Style and Enthusiasm to it in the future.

Mar. 16, 1995

Mar. 16, 1995 - Woman's Life Span Is A Remarkable 120 Years © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Golden Years - Fabulous After Fifty™ An inescapable inference that the human body is capable of living 120 years is the fact that Jeanne Calment of Aries, France has recently celebrated her 120th birthday. She is the oldest living human certified by the Guiness Book of World Records in 1995. She told Time magazine her secret of longevity, "I took pleasure when I could, I acted clearly and morally and without regret. I'm very lucky." When asked what kind of future she expected, she said, "a very short one." A sense of humor can also last 120 years. Dr. Walter M. Bortz II, M.D., in his book, "We Live Too Short and Die Too Long," states that "the human body is created to last 120 years or one million hours." Dr. Bortz believes in preventive medicine. He believes the miracle of longevity is within each of us. He says, "When we control...disease, trauma, behavioral maladaptation, and self-destruction, the natural order of our lives prevails." Disuse seems to be the enemy of long life. Body functions such as digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, sexual, and mental, are highly keyed to use. The truth is you "use it or lose it." A baby boomer who is 40, and healthy, in 1995 can expect age 60 to be middle-age. A healthy centenarian could be climbing a tree not living numb waiting for death. Quality and length of life could possibly go hand in hand. Dr. Bortz thinks "life is a square-edged existence - passionate and forceful to the end." If you love the life you live, you will love your last day on earth. From the Bible: "You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season.'' Job 5: 26 NIV

Mar. 30, 1995

Mar. 30, 1995 - Live A Good Life And Leave Good Tracks © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Golden Years - Fabulous After Fifty™ My family enjoys competing in the National Walking Horse Celebration. For several years we have rented a home away from home from a young lady in Shelbyville, Tenn. Each time we rent her home, we work to leave it perfectly clean. To show our appreciation each time we rent the house for a few days, we leave her a gift for her home. We recently participated in the National Walking Horse Trainers Show at Shelbyville. When cleaning our home away from home, I had a warm fuzzy feeling when dusting the silk flowers we bought for the house last year. Arranging the Walking Horse Afghan we purchased last fall, I thought, living a good life and leaving good tracks builds respect. A respectful life is a good foundation for successful aging. Standing on a respectful foundation and looking into the future to the person we want to be, smart folks assemble now the habits for future success. For instance, I will pound the pavement, walking daily, as insurance against a future crumbling skeleton (osteoporosis). I will work to put a spring in my walk. Making that brain jump through hoops assures more mental power as we age. The more stimulation of brain cells, the better. Working hard to eliminate habits that contaminate the body will pay high dividends in better health as we age. Thinking about better health as we enjoy spring, we must remember sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. The damage of the sun's rays are cumulative. None of us want wrinkles, leathery skin or worst of all skin cancer. So, while the Bradford pear trees and dogwood trees are blooming, causing you to crave the out of doors, remember the sunscreen. With sunscreen in place, the blooming flowers of spring cause us to believe we can bloom anew. Spring explodes in our minds a feeling of a new beginning. A time to grow, bloom and E-N-J-O-Y! It's the season for fun, fitness and friendship for the "Fabulous After 50." It's time to be out and about, visiting with friends, trying something new, enjoying great weather. Spring makes us feel young in the autumn of our lives; so live a good life and leave good tracks.

Apr. 6, 1995

Apr. 6, 1995 - Faith Is The Water In The Fountain Of Youth © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Golden Years - Fabulous After Fifty™ Kneeling on the ground, near a very old tree, praying in the "Garden of Gethse-mane," last year, as I toured the Holy Land, the presence of God blanketed me like a dense fog. Great gushes of tears washed my face as His holiness washed my soul. Approaching the Easter Season, we focus on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and our hope of eternal life. Faith is the water in the fountain of youth. Living out lives in the eternal future, takes the depression out of aging. The unfolding of life, moment by moment, is a spiral toward heaven. Don't crush the delicate flower of aging by programming your brain that life after 50 is less than great as you know God. Faith gives us hope of eternal life, power to live abundantly, and unconditional love. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." Hebrews 11:1-2 KJV Celebrating the Easter Season is a glorious time of hope and renewed life. "The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come..." Song of Solomon 2: 12 KJV My own celebration of life will center around the hope of a resurrected Christ, love of family, and joy of being a grandparent.Grandparenting is one of the positives of being over 50. I can just see in my mind's eye, our five, lively, granddaughters in all their frills, hunting Easter eggs. Eggs have been a symbol of spring since ancient times, because they represent new life. As the children talk about the Easter bunny, I remember, rabbits are associated with the fertility of spring because of their ability to produce many young. I plan to purchase an Easter Lily for my home and look forward to the Church being decorated with Easter Lilies. Why do we use Easter Lilies in our celebrations? The large pure white Easter Lily reminds Christians of the pure new life they receive through the Resurrection of Jesus. Along with the Easter Lily many will decorate and celebrate with candles. Burning candles represent Jesus being the "Light of the World."  As we spring forward into the Spring Season, and anticipate the celebration of Easter, I realize our faith gives us hope, joy and love. Faith is the water in our fountain of youth.

Jun. 15, 1995

Jun. 15, 1995 - Dads And Granddads Are Pure Diamonds © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Golden Years - Fabulous After Fifty™ Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance. Being one of the most valuable natural substances, diamonds are highly prized. They were made when carbon was subjected to great heat and pressure millions of years ago. The Dads, and Grand Dads, in my own life have been pure diamonds. My own Dad and two Grand Dads, set a Godly example for me with love. My husband has been a diamond, Dad and Grand Dad for my children and grandchildren. My Son and Son-in-love are super Dads. They show great strength with love. As head of the household God gave Dads a super hard task. In the blueprint of life, The Bible, I Corinthians 11: 3, the chain of command in the home is given - (1) God the Father, (2) Christ, (3) Man, (4) Woman, (5) Children. "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." "Children, obey your parent in the Lord; for this is right." Ephesians 6:1KJV The husband is the president of the home. Our great nation has a president. Great businesses have presidents. God, in His wisdom knew the home, the foundation of society, would need a president. God created us male and female, equal in worth, but different physically, emotionally and temperamentally. In any given situation a man usually can see the forest with his analytical mind, while a woman sees the trees with her sensitive, compassionate, intuitive mind. A husband and wife who complement each other, pull together, and communicate will be able to see the trees and the forest for their family. Joni Ericson Tada's family worked together to see her through a tragic diving accident. Joni, paralyzed from the accident, remembers her Dad as a diamond of strength. She said he was a "fix it" kind of man, yet he  could not repair her permanent paralysis. She remembers how his work-worn hands gripped the guardrail of her hospital bed. Joni shared with her readers that even though her Dad was bewildered and felt helpless, he stayed with her and encouraged her. She said just his presence meant everything in the world to her. She drew on his  strength during a time when she had no strength of her own. "Just be my dad," she thought. Dads are special, indeed! Let's pray for Dads, and Grand Dads, who need special strength and supernatural ability to be strong under the pressure and heat of today's crumbling families. Indeed, Dads and Grand Dads are precious diamonds.

Oct. 5, 1995

Oct. 5, 1995 - Bible Tells Secrets Of Longevity © by Shirley W. Mitchell, Golden Years - Fabulous After Fifty™ The bible gives us age-old laws which contribute to longevity. Moses gives the 10 commandments to us in Deuteronomy 5. A pure life enhances our chances of longevity. "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." Common sense contributes to longevity. How can we expect this marvelous machine, our body, to run the full term if we destroy it along the way. How many lives have been snuffed out prematurely by violence, accidents, suicide, drugs, alcohol or tobacco? The secret to good health is three things: good nutrition, adequate rest and ample exercise. A combination of these three things will keep you on the road to longevity. Moses gave us another promise of longevity. "Honour thy father and mother; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Deuteronomy 5: 16 According to Moses, longevity is connected with obedience to the bible. "Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong and go in and possess the land whither ye to to possess it. "And that ye may prolong your days in the land which the Lord sware unto your father to give unto them and to your seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey." Deuteronomy 11: 8-9 To line up one's life with the Word of God seems to empower that person to live a long, fruitful life. Zeal for life goes hand in hand with longevity. Zeal has been defined as - "excitement with power." Life is precious. Longevity is worth working toward.

Shirley W. Mitchell is the Owner and Founder of Fabulous after Fifty™ - a Motivational, Inspirational and Educational Company located in Northern Alabama providing products and services related to Organizing and Conducting Educational Conferences, Classes, Symposiums, Seminars, Workshops, Speeches and Training Courses in the fields of Aging, Seniors, Senior Lifestyles, Health, Wellness, Nutrition, Generational Women and Men's Issues, Faith, Passion and Purpose, and Distribution of Materials including Multimedia Audio, Video, CD, DVD, Books, Newsletters, Journals, Magazines, Articles, Periodicals, Electronic Books, and other Written and Audio Publications. Ms. Mitchell and Fabulous after Fifty™ are managed and represented by Lighthouse Coastal Productions 466 Sardis Cutoff Road Sardis City, AL 35956. ***Copyright © and Trademark ™ Notice: 1967-2011 All Works, Venues and Content by Shirley W. Mitchell™ including "The Golden Egg of Aging™", "The Fabulous Author™", "Fabulous after 50®", "Fabulous after Fifty™", "Sensational after 60®", "Sensational after Sixty™", "Aging Outside the Box®", "Passionate Sparks™", "Spiritual Sparks for Busy Women™", "Lace Over Steel™", "Ageless Living™", "Endless Energy™", "Better Half of Life™", "Citrus Park™", "Crosstown Info™", "The Amazing System™" and "Aging with Glamour™"are © Copyright and ® Trademark protected*** No part of this Web-Site or Column may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the Agent. If you would like to purchase copies of the articles, please send an E-Mail to us with your request. If you should encounter any problems with this Web-Site please E-Mail the Webmaster.