Last week, I had the pleasure of returning to the Stanford Women’s Healthy Living Retreat at Stanford Sierra Camp, where I gave a presentation called Chronic Inflammation: Too Much of a Good Thing to a group of about 140 women. The retreat, hosted by the Stanford Alumni Association, brings together women from all walks of life for a few days of learning, movement, conversation, and community in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
I have to say — I LOVE camp.
I got to go with my friend Jenny, and the week was full of simple things that felt so restorative: long hikes, healthy meals, interesting conversations, a nighttime boat ride under the stars with hot cocoa, and the cozy weirdness of sharing an old two-bedroom cabin that reminded me a little of my Girl Scout days.
My Biggest Takeaway
One idea kept coming up again throughout the week: there may be more in us than we think.
One of my favorite speakers was Dr. Anne Friedlander, who was featured in the documentary Fit for Life - Dare to Dream. The film follows 82-year-old cyclist Jack Lowe and others as they take on the mountain climbs made famous by the Tour de France, while exploring what it means to stay active and engaged later in life.
Now, for the record, I am not planning to take up cycling in the Alps (in this lifetime or any lifetime).
But I loved the reminder that healthy aging doesn’t have to mean dramatic feats or extreme goals. Sometimes it’s simply about continuing to do things that challenge us a little, energize us, or make us feel more alive — taking the hike, building strength, trying something new, staying curious, getting back up after setbacks, or refusing to quietly shrink our lives as we get older.
If you’re interested, Fit for Life – Dare to Dream is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Back to Africa
I’ve only been home a few days, and now I’m packing again.
On Friday, I leave for Kenya for a two-week residency as part of my doctoral program at the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health. Since I’m pursuing a doctorate in Global Public Health Leadership, this is the “global” part — spending time with my cohort of 24 doctoral students as we visit universities, hospitals, and community organizations to learn more about public health in a global setting. And yes, there will also be some wildlife viewing along the way. (Some of you may remember that I went on safari in Africa a few years ago.)
I’ll look forward to sharing a few photos and reflections when I return on June 8th.