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QC03232017

30 THE QUEENS COURIER • SENIOR LIVING • MARCH 23, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM senior living The one thing we need to keep going BY MARY HUNT Encouragement. For me it is a basic need, or perhaps a character fl aw -- I’m not quite sure. All I know is that I need encouragement, and I need it oft en. I have a feeling that you do, too. Th is matter of getting out of debt, living below our means and learning how to manage our money can be a very discouraging proposition Jamaica Estates woman competing for Miss New York Senior crown BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI smonteverdi@qns.com/@smont76 A woman from Jamaica Estates will go for the crown in the Ms. New York Senior America 2017 pageant next month. Rose Scalia, who has lived in Queens for most of her life, will be among the 11 women from the New York area vying for the title at the Sunday, April 2, aff air in Long Island. Th e pageant celebrates inspiring and outstanding women over the age of 60. Th e winner will go on to compete in the Ms. Senior America Pageant later this year. Seeking a change, Scalia decided to retire from her job as a director of human resources at a real estate fi rm a few years ago. “Th at’s when I said, ‘I’m going to reinvent myself,’” Scalia said. “And reinventing yourself over 60 is so important.” Scalia, who is also a professor at New York University, competed in the competition for the fi rst time in 2014. Th ough she did not take the title, she was awarded “2014 Ms. Congeniality.” Th is year, Scalia will compete again. “Your idea going in is to win, of course,” Scalia said. “But you also want to share your ideas, your thoughts on how to help the seniors of America.” Scalia explained that the contest consists of three main components: talent, gown and philosophy of life — where a contestant presents a brief statement about her approach to life. “We really dispel the myth of aging,” Scalia said. “What we are is a group of women that reaffi rm life and self-worth. Seniors are America’s most valuable treasure.” Th e most important aspect of the pageant, for Scalia, is the advocacy. Th e winner of the pageant will become a face and voice for seniors across the state, speaking on their behalf at various public and political gatherings. “It’s all about giving back to your community; making sure we can be a positive infl uence on all generations,” Scalia said. Scalia said she works to educate seniors about the best and most eff ective ways to stay well. She visits senior centers and wellness fairs and spread information through public speaking. “Seniors: get involved; think positive,” Scalia said. “Because when you think positive it’s so, so important. It gives you a deeper sense of self. When you look at life in the most positive way, it comes back to you. With seniors, that they take care of themselves, remain active, and enjoy life in general and not let life pass them by, is so important.” In the days leading up to the competition, Scalia said what she is feeling most profoundly is “excitement.” “To be with the ladies, the camaraderie; it is a little nerve-wracking, but it tests you,” Scalia said. “It shows what you can really do. Everyone’s a winner in the Rose Scalia, left, meets Heidi Klum at a recent event. pageant … At the end of all this you do become friends. It goes beyond just winning.” Th e event will take place at SUNY Old Photos courtesy of Rose Scalia Westbury on Sunday, April 2, at 2:30 p.m. For more information or to learn how to purchase tickets, visit http:// newyorksenioramerica.org/. at times. I want to become one of the encouragers in your life -- someone you can count on to cheer you on in the good times and help dust you off so you can get up and back on track during the bad times. I want to be the one you can always count on to help you see the big picture, to point out the glimmers of joy in seasons of sorrow. I want to be there to help pull you up to the top of the mountain so you can see all the beauty below. Over the years I have built up my own collection of “encouragers.” Some are people, but some are books, websites and activities like exercise and prayer. I know the people, places and things that are a source of encouragement for me. I count on them. Th ey help me to focus and give me the confi dence I need to keep going. I try to concentrate more on them than on those people and situations that tend to be discouragers. One of my favorite encouragers is a short essay written by Chuck Swindoll, a well-known author. I’ve kept this close to me for years now and have read it so oft en I’ve memorized it. I want to encourage you to pay attention to your attitude. Print out the following if you can and then stick it in a place where you will see it the fi rst thing every morning. Re-read it. Apply it to your life for the day. If you do this for one full month, you’ll have it committed to memory. And in the process you’ll have a new habit of choosing your attitude for the day even before you choose what to wear. Attitude Th e longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift edness or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. Th e remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. Th e only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. Mary Hunt’s weekly column, “Everyday Cheapskate,” can be found at creators. com.


QC03232017
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