What Endings Means As Used Here


Sometime after the old story begins to loosen, whether it’s about retiring, family changes, or physical changes, . . . things that once worked start to fail quietly.

Not all at once.

Not catastrophically.

Just enough to be noticed.

Then ignored.

Then noticed again.

Roles that had carried weight for decades grow lighter, then awkward, then hollow.

Certainties thin.

Effort produces less return.

The familiar moves stop landing the way they used to.

At first, this feels like a problem to solve.

Most of us were trained that way.

If something stops working, we adjust.

If a role loses power, we reinforce it.

If meaning fades, we double down on purpose.

But, this time, doubling down does not help.

What is happening does not respond to improvement.

It does not want optimization.

It does not want encouragement.
It wants something to end.

That realization comes slowly, and then all at once.

Looking back, it becomes clear there were several such endings . . . more than a few.

Enough changes in enough areas of life to change the ground we thought was solid.

Each one arrives disguised as inconvenience or failure or fatigue.

Each one asks to be managed . . . and each one resists management.

A capacity relied on for years slips away.

A way of being respected no longer applies.

A sense of usefulness evaporates without explanation.

These moments aren’t clearly losses at the time . . . . so they get treated as problems . . . and that makes things worse.

Only in hindsight does it become clear that something more fundamental has been happening.

Not change in the ordinary sense . . . not transition . . . not reinvention.

It is something closer to death . . . not physical death . . .

Not emotional collapse.

Identity death . . . the passing away of things that we always took for granted . . . that we thought were us.

Leaving us with an obvious, but very difficult question: If these things that we thought defined us aren’t true anymore, then who the heck are we now?
20

Marriage Problems in 2025 (From a Certified Relationship Klutz)

Hey there, guys-

Let me just get this out of the way first: I am a certified, card-carrying relationship klutz.

Not even kidding. If there were an Olympic event for missing emotional landmines, I’d be on the podium for at least a silver.

So if you’re over 60, still married, or married again, or living with someone, or know someone who is and wondering what the heck is going on, welcome to the club, my friend.

Marriage in 2025 IS a whole new game. Think you might fit into any of these categories?

1. The “We’re Just Roommates” Phase

You ever wake up, look over at your wife, and think, “Dang, when did we stop being a couple and start being two people who share a fridge?”

2. Communication… Or the Lack Thereof

Let me tell you something about me: I used to think if I didn’t say anything, I couldn’t get in trouble.Wrong.

Silence? That’s just gasoline on a slow-burning fire.

 And, no, the “Did you feed the dog?” stuff doesn’t cut it.

 And when she talks, shut your mouth and listen like your life depends on it. Because, you know… it kind of does.

3. Sex… Yep, We’re Going There

Look, if you’re over 60 and still thinking things should work the same way they did at 25, bless your optimistic heart.

Not the creative type. Have you heard there are a lot of ways to connect physically and emotionally without pretending you’re auditioning for a 90s romance novel?  Well, there are.

Your partner’s likely just as unsure about things, so just don’t make it don’t make it harder than it is.  That’s dumb.

4. Money Stress Is Still a Thing—Eespecially Now

Here’s a fun fact nobody tells you: just because you’re retired (or close) doesn’t mean money stress disappears. In fact, it might crank up if you’re not on the same page.

Different spending habits, surprise bills, or just different visions of what retirement should look like… it can all become a powder keg.

5. The “What-If” Trap

Man, this one’s brutal.

You start looking back—at missed opportunities, old flames, paths not taken—and you wonder, “Did I screw it all up?”

Look… maybe. But probably not as bad as you think.

Real Talk Wrap-Up

So yeah—marriage problems in 2025 are a thing. Especially for us guys 60 and up who were raised on “don’t talk about it, just deal with it.”

But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:Marriage doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs two people willing to show up, shut up and listen and talk one at a time—even if one of those people ( like me) keeps tripping over his own shoelaces.

Want to vent, share a win, or confess your own relationship screw-up? Drop a comment below. We’re in it one way or another. And your story might just help someone else

What We Mean by Endings
Every man reaches a point where the old story no longer fits. Careers close. Roles shift. Friendships thin out. The things that once defined us don’t hold the same weight. These endings aren’t failures — they’re signals that something new is asking for space.What We Mean by Endings
Every man reaches a point where the old story no longer fits. Careers close. Roles shift. Friendships thin out. The things that once defined us don’t hold the same weight. These endings aren’t failures — they’re signals that something new is asking for space.

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