Wherever a story comes from, whether it is a familiar myth or a private memory, the retelling exemplifies the making of a connection from one pattern to another: a potential translation in which narrative becomes parable and the once upon… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“It's all about being in control of myself as an older woman who lives alone, and it's all about how I am going to… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. Some people seem to keep on making the same mistakes,… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
Monotony and repetition are characteristic of many parts of life, but these do not become sources of conscious discomfort until novelty and entertainment are… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“ We never promised we would stay the same,/But only we would shape our change/From this now single clay. [p. 82]” — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“Moving is both liberating and debilitating. Undertaken too late, it is a very stressful process, one that sometimes seems to catapult people into frail… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
Improvisation and new learning are not private processes; they are shared with others at every age. We are called to join in a dance… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“Real winners in a rapidly changing world will be those who are open to alternatives and able to respect and value those who are… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“Self-care should include the cold shower as well as the scented tub.” — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
A suprising number of physicians manage to continue to care about persons even after the rigors of medical training. — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
Worlds can be found by a child and an adult bending down and looking together under the grass stems or at the skittering crabs… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“Physical things are eloquent tokens of ideas,enriched by new meanings through time even when the tokens are no more than evanescent paper representations.” — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
When parents die, all of the partings of the past are reevoked with the realization that this time they will not return. — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“Since few people arrive at retirement with an understanding that this transition will involve a rethinking of who they are, an interim pattern has… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
“After all, most of us have lived lives based on commitments made without any way of knowing where they would lead. The uncertainty is… — Mary Catherine Bateson Copy Share Image
![“It's all about being in control of myself as an older woman who lives alone, and it's all about how I am going to do what I have to do to be as strong as I can be and be confident that I can do what I need to do as an older person. [p. 62]” quote by Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/94e/mary-catherine-bateson-11582_age_it-s-all-about-being-in-control-of-mysel_17830.jpg)
![“The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. Some people seem to keep on making the same mistakes, while others at least make new ones. Regret and remorse can be either paralyzing or inspiring. [p. 199]” quote by Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/72f/mary-catherine-bateson-11582_critical_the-critical-question-about-regret-is-wh_20978.jpg)
![“We never promised we would stay the same,/But only we would shape our change/From this now single clay. [p. 82]” quote by Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/011/mary-catherine-bateson-11582_age_we-never-promised-we-would-stay-the-same_209661.jpg)
![“Moving is both liberating and debilitating. Undertaken too late, it is a very stressful process, one that sometimes seems to catapult people into frail old age, and undertaken too soon, it may preempt other possibilities. [p. 38]” quote by Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d68/mary-catherine-bateson-11582_age_moving-is-both-liberating-and-debilitati_277245.jpg)
![“Since few people arrive at retirement with an understanding that this transition will involve a rethinking of who they are, an interim pattern has emerged, in which travel offers a way of fulfilling deferred daydreams of adventure while the next stage takes shape. [p. 31]” quote by Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/21f/mary-catherine-bateson-11582_adventure_since-few-people-arrive-at-retirement-wi_704614.jpg)
![“After all, most of us have lived lives based on commitments made without any way of knowing where they would lead. The uncertainty is an essential element in commitment, the acceptance of consequences an essential element in fidelity. [p. 80]” quote by Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3a3/mary-catherine-bateson-11582_age_after-all-most-of-us-have-lived-lives-ba_709103.jpg)