Reclaim Your Right To Grow Old: How to immerse yourself in, be curious about, and celebrate life's most important stage. Paperback – March 13, 2021

As another birthday approaches, my reading of Reclaim Your Right to Grow Old, subtitled How to immerse yourself in, be curious about, and celebrate life’s most important stage, could not have been better timed. In this beautifully written and well-researched book, author Kathleen O’Brien has revealed an entirely refreshing way of thinking about the process of growing old. And she uses that phrase “growing old” a lot, encouraging us to embrace, rather than dread, this inevitable stage of our lives that can be liberating and full of joy; a time to bask in all that we have accomplished and celebrate where we are in this moment. In offering an alternative to the age-defiance-and-denial messages that modern society keeps pushing at us, O’Brien takes the reader on an exploration of not new, but ancient philosophies and Eastern ideas that revere old people for their wisdom, advising that they be valued and cared for, not written off as no longer relevant.Reclaim Your Right to Grow Old teaches us to let go of the frenetic lifestyle that defined our youth and middle age, and take time for reflection, finding happiness in loving ourselves and shedding the have-to tasks we don’t need to do anymore. Alongside the narrative are thought-provoking questions designed to help us navigate this critically important phase of our life journey and illuminate how being old can be wonderful and enriching. There is a wealth of information on everything from the benefits of meditation (and how to do it) to achieve a more relaxed, happier state; how to become more spiritual, and how to feel good about who and where we are right now—including proudly telling others our age! Don’t overlook the Outtakes section, rich with more food for thought, and the final, poignant Postscript. Reclaim Your Right to Grow Old deserves a place on the shelf of anyone who is getting older…and that’s everyone.

I was enthused about diving into this book--after all, I'm part of its key audience, being in my late sixties. And for much of the first two-thirds of it or so, I could perk right along. We forget that "age" is one of the last "forbidden" things in this culture: you're not SUPPOSED to get old, much less enjoy or embrace it. Problem is, there's really nothing you can do about getting there, which is what sets many of us up to long for and/or aspire for sometimes desperate measures in order to try to "stop time." By contrast, the author encourages us to reject the nonsensical aspects of "forever young" and face ourselves with a new respect and regard for the wisdom, ability, and perspective that we gain with being older.However, the longer the book went on, the more it grated on my sensibilities and belief system...in that it became way, way too "new-agey" and Buddhist for me. I don't mind if an author is Buddhist and says that up front (I don't recall if she ever did)--because I'll then know what to expect, and temper the "advice" with a grain of salt. But when you're presenting a book of general advice, it's important to keep the advice as middle of the road spiritually as you can--not dwell so heavily on your own belief system that the book starts to sound like a primer on "how to age as a Buddhist." That's precisely what this book started to sound like to me, and so I didn't finish it. I'd had about as much as I could take of one spiritual "path," one that doesn't happen to correspond with either my personal experience or my view of the world, and so beyond a certain point...the advice is irritating rather than helpful.I didn't want to dislike this book; at first, I didn't. But I would caution anyone that if you're not already in a "new age" or "Eastern religion" mindset, you might find this work falling short of covering as wide a representation of perspective, belief, and wisdom as is implied by the beginning. Pick and choose the hints you want to embrace, if you want. Just be aware that a whole lot of it might not ring true.

I originally ordered this book for my mother (she's 63 and thriving) but luckily ended up shipping it to myself by mistake (I just turned 30 and am slowly coming to terms with it)... WOW, EVERYONE needs to read this! I cannot tell you how many sighs of relief I experienced while reading this. It has genuinely reframed my perspective on the "dreaded" act of growing old... what a ridiculous thing to be afraid of! So happy I stumbled upon this book, it's a phenomenal read for ALL ages and I look forward to echoing this logic back to my mother (who is definitely getting a copy for her birthday), my father/aunts/uncles (who are veering towards retirement), and ALL of my friends (who, collectively, have just started googling botox & hair plugs)... Read the book and go enjoy your life LOL!

Until I read “ RECLAIM YOUR RIGHT TO GROW OLD”, I must admit that my thoughts were dominated by the past and the days of youth. Mostly, I resisted accepting and welcoming old age.Kathleen O'Brien has changed that with her brilliant words and advice.She does not discourage reminiscing the days long gone. The past helps us know who we are at present. The past can give us satisfaction, even pride, for what we have accomplished in our life.In our younger days, dreams were yet to be fulfilled. We were searching for golden moments. Kathleen has made me realize that I am in the golden moment of life.I have struck gold if only I accept my older age.The book is a must-read if your old or young.

A gem of a book, beautifully written with insight and humor. Without preaching or cliches, Kathleen O'Brien's in-depth presentation dispels the common fear of aging. She grounds her approach in ancient wisdom, presented with modern verve and spiritual awareness. I love the author's narrative voice: smart but not facile, always thoughtful and spiced with witty prose. As you read RECLAIM YOUR RIGHT TO GROW OLD, you may feel as if you're listening to a bright best friend. Here is a book for all ages, meeting you where you are --yet expanding your horizon. Brava to Ms. O'Brien for this rich new work! M.Heidish