Senior Style with Eileen O’Brien

The birth of a column has many parents.  The birth of “Senior Style” will be my third “child”. The first of my “children” was conceived in the late ‘70s. The location of the column’s birth was the faraway land of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, N.Y. The child was christened “O.L.A. Outlines” and the reason for its birth was the need for its “Dad”, also known as the Editor of a local weekly paper called the Home Reporter, to increase the paper’s readership by tapping into a new source of followers. What better group to focus on than all those folks who were or might be potential members of the local Catholic Parishes? Remember, in this far away neighborhood, (in Rockland speak – think towns) there was a reputation for having either a bar or religious institution on every other block!

So who should be the “Mom” of this offspring? Not a person could be found until the newspaper’s editor remembered reading in the Our Lady of Angels Church Bulletin several articles that had been authored by this writer.

It took lots of convincing, begging, arm twisting, soul searching and blessing by all the powers that be to produce the birth. But happily the baby was born and became one of the most popular “children” in the paper’s family, right alongside the nightlife column, political column, gossip column, horoscopes, and even the crime blotter!

O.L.A. Outlines had a good column run of approximately four years and then its mother was off to new adventures in terms of marriage, job promotion and relocation to a new kingdom called Forest Hills, Queens.

The birth of a second “child” has often been described as easier than the birth of the first “child”. Unfortunately,  this was not the case in the birth of “child” number two….  “Single Style.” Its conception in the mid ‘80s was unexpected and difficult. Times were definitely changing, and in the midst of challenging times, returning to the familiar can be an anchor for stability and the start for new growth. The anchor for this writer, who was now a widow at 31 years of age from a marriage lasting 11 months, was returning to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where, like the old TV Program, “Cheers”, everyone knows your name!

My old buddies from the “Home Reporter” were still around, but the paper’s name had been changed to the “Brooklyn Spectator” and the paper had a brand new editor at the helm.

For print media, some issues are ongoing……like keeping readers attracted to your publication. As luck would have it, being suddenly single gave this writer a new perspective of all the folks who were swimming up the same river. Divorced, separated, windowed, never married, parents, male, female, straight, gay, young, middle aged and older fellow travelers who could use some support and recognition of the myriad of issues they were facing.

Over a glass of wine with my old friends from the newspaper, I spoke about all the changes and challenges I was now observing and how this group of explorers were ready for a column they could relate to. The only issue left for the editor was to secure the right person to write the column. Despite several of my suggestions for possible columnists, the editor must have seen the Carrie Bradshaw in me (before the popular TV show –“Sex and The City”) and announced to all at the bar that she had found her columnist and it was me!

To say that “Single Style” was an adventure of a lifetime would be an understatement. Think the “Sex and The City” heroine Carrie…with the great friends but without the designer clothes, the expensive shoes, the gorgeous rent controlled brownstone, the rich boyfriend named “Mr. Big,” or the sex!

But the adventures and the stories, oh the stories, which were shared biweekly with a readership that grew and grew. The stories, the triumphs, the disappointments, the struggles, the advice, the wisdom, the connections and the feeling of being recognized and given a voice on a shared path was intoxicating for everyone who shared this journey. No topic was off limits and every issue was important. But as we all know, time marches on, as does the life of a “Single Style” columnist. After five years it was time to say farewell to my readers and take a life altering step in my own journey.

Fast forward forty years later and here I am…. a senior, married, retired, sometimes confident, sometimes confused, living in Rockland for the past 30 plus years and finding myself on yet another path with my fellow travelers. At my age, I really can’t rely on asking my elders for advice since I am now considered an elder. However, I have come to realize that I am surrounded by very wise individuals whose paths cross mine on a daily basis. So you can imagine what a déjà vu moment it was when I met the RCT Community Editor, Sierra, and shared my ideas for a new adventure that I wanted to share with all the wise, talented, loving, generous, inspiring, brave, sometimes struggling Rockland County SENIORS!

Even at my age, with the help of the Rockland County Times I am about to become a parent again! Are you a senior, a Rockland County resident, interested in joining a journey about you, for you, by you with someone who is you?  Are you interested in hearing from someone who will inform, educate, inspire, entertain and learn from you?  Then let’s turn the page, flip the script, possibly write a new book about who we are and what we’re about.

Now buckle up and get ready for the ride.…ALL ABOARD!!…………

WELCOME TO “SENIOR STYLE!”

EILEEN O’BRIEN

SENIOR STYLE COLUMNIST