Ann Jones, 75, has never been afraid of change. Curiosity and courage have carried her from teaching on a remote Native American reservation to a demanding career with Andersen Consulting/Accenture, and later to gardening, real estate, and a new life in Asheville, North Carolina.
That first teaching assignment, 90 miles from Gallup, New Mexico, taught Ann something important: she could handle hard things. Teaching wasn’t her calling, but the experience gave her the confidence to keep moving toward what came next.
Ann sees life as something she can help design. When one chapter no longer fits, she is willing to close it and begin another. In Asheville, she discovered a new outlet for her curiosity through OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where she both takes and creates classes. Her first course? Get Your Kicks on Route 66.
As a solo ager without children, Ann is equally intentional about planning for the future. She is building an “alternate kin” network and has arranged for professional healthcare advocacy should she need it. For Ann, preparing for aging isn’t about fear—it’s about taking responsibility for the life ahead.
We often imagine life as a straight line. Ann sees it differently: more like a spiral, with each chapter bringing us somewhere new while drawing on everything that came before.
Her guiding question is simple and powerful: What do I want my next chapter to look like?
“Every chapter has a beginning, middle and end. What do I want my next chapter to look like?” – Ann Jones
THANKS TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSOR, AARP ILLINOIS a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 1.7 million members in Illinois, AARP volunteers advocate for better health, financial security and stronger communities.
VisitAARP.org/IL to learn more.
