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Nostalgia

Thinking about the past is fun, but, did you know that nostalgia is also good for your brain? Find out what neuroscientists, have to say about nostalgia. Let's think about the past together!

2 years ago

You Don’t Need to Know Everything

It was probably 1947 – a very long time ago in any case. It was my first day in first grade – and my class had ceremoniously paraded from the room for the kindergarten to the first-grade room to mark the moment. We were all asked to sit in a circle…

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2 years ago

What We Remember from Our School Years

It all began with the opening of an Indian luxury hotel in early 2017 in inner London, near Tower Bridge. This was situated in the former premises of a boys’ grammar (secondary) school, which my husband had happened to attend in the mid-1950s…

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2 years ago

Paco Rabanne, a Man of and Ahead of His Time

One of the iconic images that defined our youth was that of Jane Fonda in a post-apocalyptic metal and mesh green mini dress in the film Barbarella. That dress, and all of her costumes for that film, were designed by the eclectic, ground-breaking designer…

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2 years ago

Education Is Wasted on the Young

Although the original thought is “Youth is wasted on the young,” in my case, this was certainly true for education. I went to an all-girls private boarding school in rural Sussex in England, which even then – back in the late 50s/early 60s – was old-fashioned…

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2 years ago

Are We Sentimental About Simple Things We Use Every Day?

I made some soup earlier today and, in order to serve it, I reached for my ladle. It is absolutely not a classy ladle – it has a red plastic handle. It probably came from Woolworth’s or the equivalent. But I suddenly had a memory of how and when I got it…

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2 years ago

6 Ways Being 60 Takes You Back to the 60s

There’s a lot to love about being in your 60s. And, if you are 60, you may remember the 1960s. That may depend on how many mind-altering experiences you had in the 1960s, however. These two “60s” have a great deal in common…

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2 years ago

The Power of Nostalgia and How It Can Enrich Our Lives After 60

When winter rolls around, it usually triggers a wistful feeling, a sense of completion and a sense of loss. The mornings are cool, the days are short. It’s hard to avoid the feeling of shrinking away! All of Nature seems to be saying, “Stop, listen, think about what you have been, and wonder what you will become…”

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2 years ago

How Old News Can Affect Us Today

A charming married man in his early 40s, a father of three, has a two-year affair with his young secretary. So, what’s new? It happens every day. Indeed, it is an old, old story. What is new is that it was my father. I was in my early teens at the time…

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2 years ago

How the Jewellery We Wear Tells the Story of Our Life

Jewellery, in all its forms tells the story of our life. Whether we choose a necklace or a bracelet, they all tell people more about who we are, and they remind us of places and people, events and special things…

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2 years ago

Making a Break in Your 60s

Some years ago, at the age of 61, I quit my job, rented out my flat and flew to Australia to research my family history. It was not an easy business. In the days before Airbnb and other similar organisations made letting so much more flexible…

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