When Carmen Loiselle turned 60, she felt a sense of urgency.

“I realized I had 20 years, maybe 30 if I was lucky,” says the retired Canada Post worker.

What was she going to do with that time? Was there a way in which she could make a difference — for herself, and for others, in the last third of her life?

Loiselle’s self-questioning is common at 60-something, when there can be a lot of change, accompanied by a determination to make the most of it all. For many, the priorities become retirement, health maintenance (“aging well” is the current catchphrase), grandchildren and downsizing or moving elsewhere. It can be overwhelming to determine what to do, given the plethora of crises that dominate the news, demanding our action. How much energy should we put toward making a difference, and how much to devote to leisure, a personal passion or connecting with family and friends?