He's seen as a thought leader on the changing attitudes about growth, change, aging and wellness in this country, and now physician and author Dr. Bill Thomas is coming to Jacksonville to share that vision.Thomas' "Second Wind Tour" will make a stop in Jacksonville on Monday, May 19. Billed as a unique “non-fiction” theater experience blending theater, video, and music, the show is focused on navigating the passage to what Thomas calls a "slower, deeper, more connected" life.
“American society makes it hard to believe ‘slower’ could ever be better,” says Thomas, founder of the non-profit Eden Alternative to improve elder care.
Here are some of his suggestions to live more deliberately:
• Savor, don’t gobble. Eat good food with good company — it’s a way of embracing slowness as a “healthy part of life, not as a sign of failure,” he says.
• Support your community. Invest “in local businesses, in things you can see,” Thomas says. “Not in synthetic derivatives on Wall Street.”
• Health, not harm. More care doesn’t necessarily mean better care.
“If you’ve ever had an older relative dealing with the health care system, the person gets so much care — but is it really good for that person?” Thomas asks.
The answers require insight: “It’s about having a personal conversation about our own goals, and then shaping our lives around that," he says.
AARP Jacksonville and Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital are sponsoring the event, to be held at the UNF Fine Arts Center's Andrew Robinson Theater. For tickets and information, visit SecondWindTour.org.
You can follow Melissa Ross on Twitter @MelissainJax.
