About Morning Room

Morning Room publishes personal essays and practical life lessons for readers in the second half of life — stories about family, habits, homes, and the small decisions that turn out to be large.

We started Morning Room because most writing aimed at people over sixty either talks down to them or tries to sell them something. We wanted a quieter room: essays written by people who have actually lived the thing they are describing, published at a pace that leaves time for editing.

Who writes here

Morning Room has three regular contributors. Each writes in her own subject area, and every essay carries her byline and the month it was published.

Margaret Ellison is a retired English teacher in Oregon who writes about growing older, letting go, and the marriage that shaped her quiet years. She lost her husband three years ago and writes toward, not around, it.

Ruth Delacroix taught home economics for thirty years in east Tennessee and now writes about the old-fashioned way of keeping house — the grandmother rules that still cut the grocery bill and calm a chaotic morning.

Joan Petersen is a retired nurse in Minnesota who writes about the small daily habits that changed her sixties — walking, sleep, eating on time. She shares experience, not medical advice, and always says to ask your own doctor.

How we edit

Every essay is written by a named contributor and then edited before it runs. We check names, dates, and places; we cut repetition; we leave the specifics in. When an essay describes a household detail, a street, or a year, those details stay as the writer reported them.

We publish new essays every week rather than daily. Fewer pieces, more editing, is the trade we have chosen.

Corrections

If we get something wrong, we want to fix it. Write to us at the address on our contact page and tell us what is inaccurate. Corrections are made on the essay itself, and substantive ones are noted at the foot of the piece.

What this site is not

Nothing here is professional medical, legal, or financial advice. Our health essays describe one person's experience and nothing more; for decisions in those areas, please talk to a qualified professional who knows your situation.

We publish new essays every week. If a story resonated with you, the best compliment is sharing it with someone who needs it this week.