New Take on Nostalgia

     Julian Barnes in his book The Sense of an Ending characterizes nostalgia not as a sentimental memory of "something that wasn't even true at the time," but instead as, "the powerful recollection of strong emotions -- and a regret that such feelings are no longer present in our lives."

     He confesses that he's nostalgic about the early years with his ex-wife, the birth of his daughter, and a road trip taken long ago. "And if we're talking about strong feelings that will never come again, I suppose it's possible to be nostalgic about remembered pain as well as remembered pleasure."

     So is anyone nostalgic about Star Wars? Kathy Gottberg on her blog SMARTLiving365 recalls going to see the original Star Wars with her fiance back in 1977 and marveling at how the innovative film brought the classic story of good versus evil to the screen in a visually exhilarating way. Now, so many years later, with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens she offers Five Smart and Timeless Lessons from Star Wars, which include several observations about the Force -- and how these days age, color or gender doesn't matter when it comes to saving the Galaxy.

     Meanwhile, Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting gets nostalgic remembering the music of the rock and roll greats we all grew up with. In Rock Stars Voice Our Story she recalls the night of Jan. 23, 1986, when the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony made history in New York City. And if you don't remember the ceremony (which you probably don't) you surely do remember some of the musicians honored that night, from Chuck Berry and Little Richard to Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and a dozen other icons.

     Linda Myers, of Thoughts from a Bag Lady in Waiting, also waxes nostalgic in Snowbirds in Year 4, but her "powerful recollections" go back only a few years, reflecting how people have come to spend their winters at the Voyager RV Resort in Tuscon, Ariz. If that in itself doesn't bring you, oh, say ... a beautiful mornin', then you should know that her husband has a lead part in the Voyagers Light Opera Company's production of Oklahoma!

     Meanwhile, Rita R. Robison, consumer journalist, is bringing us back into the kitchen. In Which Oils Should You Use? she gives us the sizzle on which oils are better for cooking and which are more appropriate for salads. Then for a second helping she serves up New Evidence on Food Dyes, which reports on a recent study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest about the safety of coloring agents in our food.

     Finally, Laura Lee Cater has discovered that she shares something in common with today's 20-somethings. Like Millennials, she usually opts to choose a . . . well, to find out take a trip over to Millennials and Me (at 60!) and discover the common element that inspires her to fondly recall the days when she went island hopping across the Caribbean and country hopping through East Asia.