Passion: A Never-Ending Journey
It might seem fitting to explore the notion of ‘passion’ at the end of February, a month in which love and friendship are celebrated on the 14th. But I found myself drawn back to the idea of ‘passion’ while developing a RetroSparX memory game unit about the life and work of Christopher Plummer, the Canadian stage and film superstar who passed away at the beginning of the month. Of course, the kind of artistic passion that Christopher Plummer dedicated to the dramatic roles he took on throughout his brilliant career is, on the surface, quite different from the kind of passion that is bred from love. But when I dug a bit deeper into the idea, I couldn’t help but wonder if there is such a big difference after all.
Passion is an intense enthusiasm for someone or something; a strong emotion that, at its peak, is so difficult to control that it often controls us. We can be passionate about so many things – about people, about ideas, about the arts, about a job or about our pets, to name a few. Passion can drive us to great achievement, but can also steer us to disappointment. Hopefully all of our lives have been dotted with instances of passion, both of the personal and intellectual kind, and that all of us have felt the profound satisfaction that a realized passion can deliver. And more importantly, hopefully we all have more passion to discover.
I had the pleasure of reading a book recently that beautifully exemplifies the potential for passion among the senior community. Edited by Robert Bersson and Jack Greer, Better with Age; Creativity, Discovery and Surprise is a collection of 27 essays, 3 poems and a song written by various people in their 60s, 70s and 80s, each of whom has discovered a new (or revived or refined an old) ‘passion’ in their later years. The writings are at times deeply personal and almost always inspiring – they speak to new possibilities that stretch one’s life experience in a joyful and sometimes unexpected way. There are academics who rediscover their musical talents, cancer patients who seek to leave a positive impact on whatever time they still have, seniors who dive headlong into bringing about social change or giving expression to a creative impulse, and others who reflect on the power of love and relationships. Some also confront the realities of aging with raw honesty, sometimes in the context of staring down one’s own mortality. But these stories, these personal histories, have something in common. As opposed to being overwhelmed by the limitations of an aging body, these contributors became energized by a newfound freedom as they aged – a licence, if you will, to carve an individualized path to a life well lived. They sought out, and found, a passion.
Stay safe and well, and revel in the memories you have created throughout your life. By continuing to live with passion, you will create many more of them.
Amy Lewtas, Founder, RetroSparX
New to RetroSparX
We are pleased to announce the following new RetroSparX memory game units which have recently been released and can be found on our website (www.retrosparx.com). We invite you to delve into the topics and tackle the memory games for seniors that comprise each unit. And we wish you happy reminiscing while you recall, relive and revel in these moments.
Revel in the Sweet Tidings of Love Hearts Candy
Who can forget the first time you unwrapped a roll of Love Hearts, and when you smiled at the tidings of love and friendship that were stamped on each disc of sugary sweetness? Read about this iconic confection that has come to be synonymous with Valentine’s Day, and how it has continued to charm generations of romance-seeking candy lovers.
Included memory games for seniors
- Answer clues to complete the names of some of history’s most notable romances in Love that (Mostly) Stood the Test of Time. In the process, a Valentine’s Day rhyme just for you will be revealed.
- In The Language of Love rearrange words to reveal common phrases that are inspired by the world of romance. We are confident you will ‘love’ the result!
Click here for a full description of the memory game unit
Recall the Incomparable Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer’s place among the greatest stage and film actors of all time is indisputable. But equally celebrated is the way he achieved greatness with humility, a searing wit and an almost limitless energy to take on some of the most complex roles. Read about his remarkable career. As an added bonus, learn some of the lesser known facts about this remarkable thespian.
Included memory games for seniors
- In Bright Lights of the Stage and Screen complete a pair of crossword grids with the names of other actors whose careers have played out on both the stage and the screen.
- Unscramble letters in Behind the Curtain to form a word that both finishes a word or phrase and completes a word of phrase. The resulting words and phrases will have you dreaming about the theatre!
Click here for a full description of the memory game unit.
That sounds like such an inspiring book!
Thank you JennyL! I hope you find as much inspiration in the enterprising lives of the contributors to the book as I did. Amy
Hey, Amy, Rita sent me your link. What a timely and necessary project. Question: my mom is blind and although she has some cognitive decline, her long term memory is good. She loves Trivia, which she plays with her caregivers, who read the questions. Which games would work for people with no sight, or that could be played with a sighted helper? Is there a package of games that would work for her?
Hi Eileen – So great to hear from you. There are definitely many games that could be completed with a sighted helper. A majority of the games are trivia-based. My first instinct is that the Grid Magic, Word Mash-Up, Syllable Solutions, Phrase Craze and Phrase Flip games would all work well. But let me go through the Units to find some that have a combination of these types of games, and I will contact you by email with what I find. Thanks, Amy