We recently connected with Carol Chapman and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Carol, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My purpose was discovered when I entered kindergarten. I would be a teacher who helped others learn about the world and what they needed to know.
My husband and I married while in college, and I began my teaching career after graduation. However, that purpose became lost as I stopped teaching and worked alongside my husband to build his dream of owning a trucking company. His purpose became mine. Now with our goals the same, as best friends, we focused on our work. After the sale of our company, we were carefree and happy as we drove from our Wyoming home through Canada to Alaska.
Our life changed in the blink of an eye when he had two seizures in the first small Alaskan town we came to. Diagnosed with a glioblastoma tumor located in the communication center of his brain, our future plans disappeared.. For the following two and a half years, I was his caretaker. When he died, I was broken. I knew I’d done the best thing of my life by walking that journey with him, but it had taken a toll on me. Without him, I had no purpose.
Lost now, I struggled for many years to rediscover myself. Through writing my memoir, Finding the Good: A Journey through Love, Loss, and Living, I began to regain my purpose of teaching and helping others.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Through the blogs I write twice a month, I focus on Engaging While Aging. Found on my website, the articles tell of unusual people, animals, or happenings. Also included are stories of my Welsh corgi, Barney, and what fiction and nonfiction books I’m reading.
Barney Welsh Corgi and I visit our local Hospice home weekly, where he helps cheer up patients and staff. Barney loves the attention.
In addition, I teach a class for our OLLI program (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) and volunteer with The Friends of the Library.
Future plans include the spring publication of a caregiver workbook full of help for those who find themselves in that situation. In addition, I will be presenting a national AARP class on macular degeneration from a patient’s point of view. I’ve had over 100 eye injections. Also, there will be a series of 6 classes on women I wish I’d known. All of these classes are done as a volunteer.
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There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
A strong work ethic, resiliency, and a positive attitude are all qualities that made a difference in my life.
Young people, just starting, have a whole world ahead of themselves. The choices they make and the ability to work toward what they want out of life, combined with a positive attitude, are the cornerstones of a promising future. Knowing where they’re going and not giving up will help them develop their potential. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The number one challenge I’m facing is my age. At 77, although I take good care of myself diet-wise, keep connected with a wide circle of friends, walk five or six days a week, and have a purpose, nothing stops the aging process.
After my husband of 41 years passed away, I found that life had less meaning to me. Without a purpose, I struggled, but I became determined to find my purpose again. Trying several things unsuccessfully and receiving therapy in hopes of figuring myself out, I began to write my memoir with the idea of inspiring others. Two and a half years of caregiving gave me some wisdom to pass on to others. Practical information and the role art can play in stress reduction will fill my caregiving workbook.
Wet macular degeneration can be dreadful, depending on how a person looks at it. I’ve received eye injections for over 10 years, amounting to over 100 shots. Because of my experience, I can remind others of the importance of eye exams and the significant improvements made in treatment over the past 25 years. I am also able to calm their fears of eye injections.
Although my years are numbered, I’m trying to make my time left count in ways that will teach and help others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carolchapmanwrites.com
- Other: Pinterest: Carol Chapman, writer
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