Radio Show

Singer Florence LaRue on Aging Gracefully

 

Florence LaRue, founding member and lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning group The Fifth Dimension, chats with Father Dave about her new book, “Grace in Your Second Act: A Guide to Aging Gracefully.”

Florence explains why she decided to write this book. “I started to call the book ‘Let Your Light Shine.’ But then with the pandemic I noticed that there were a lot of people, especially senior ladies, who were alone and felt like they were imprisoned and not living, just existing. I put together a phone line across the nation and in Canada for senior ladies to talk. There were only two rules: No arguing [about] religion or politics. You could share recipes and anything else you wanted to share. And these women found out that they weren’t alone. There were other people with the exact same problems they had. And it was really nice to have someone to talk to and share that with.”

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“Around Christmastime, I sing Christmas carols with a group in nursing homes. So often I see people lying in bed with no pictures, no visitors, and no home. So I really had these people in mind. I felt encouraged to write a book and encourage people to prepare for getting older and growing more mature.”

Florence shares that it is essential to take care of yourself in all aspects of life. She emphasizes the importance of a healthy diet, time with family, and serving others. “I didn’t start running marathons until I was in my 60s. After the 10th mile, I was like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ But when you cross the finish line it is worth it. You do it for yourself.”

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Florence’s faith in God has also played a large role in her journey of aging gracefully. She explains how volunteering has given her purpose and a sense of fulfilling God’s call, and that serving others can help one to age gracefully and lift their spirits. (Original Air 9-23-21)