Page 91 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2026

Upon retirement, Adams felt she had the time and energy to pursue her
dream and signed up for oil painting classes at Walter Anderson Museum and
at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center. Her work was juried into the
Mississippi Art Colony, which she recently attended.
“I am inspired by the artists who never stop learning in pursuit of their craft
and new genres. Cissy Quinn includes art history as part of her watercolor
classes at the Ohr-O’Keefe which leads me to explore them further,” she says.
“My main interest is my brain health, and I believe painting involves as much
problem solving as engineering did.”
At age 63, Ron Hedges hasn’t yet retired but he has discovered a passion.
“I don’t really think of this as staying active. I think of it as finally having the
courage and opportunity to pursue something I’ve wanted to do for most of
my life,” he says. “I published my first children’s book, and somehow that
opened the door to all sorts of other adventures I never expected. I’m having
so much fun. I haven’t put a bug in my pocket since I was a teenager... until
four months ago.”
He has always loved bugs and being outdoors camping and hiking. “Bugs...
there’s something about tiny things. If I see a lichen on a tree branch or the
tiny flowers that grow really close to the ground, it just catches my attention,”
he adds. “If you really want to be entertained, watch an ant for about 15
minutes. Sometimes they look lost and run around in circles, but sometimes
they know exactly where they’re going and what they’re doing. Kind of like
us.”
Hedges, vice president of information systems at Memorial Hospital at
Gulfport, admits watching bugs might have become a bit of an obsession
for a while. Now, he feels he has a mission. “I know that sounds cliché, and
it’s not like my life was lacking in purpose. But embracing something you’re
passionate about and then giving yourself permission to go nuts with it is just
liberating,” he says. “When I decided to get a microscope, for example, it was
just like when I had a one as a kid. Suddenly, I had to see what everything
looked like under the microscope. That sense of curiosity came right back.”
Now leading hikes and outdoor workshops, Hedges wants to do these
things as long as he is able, and thinks retirement will give him more time
to do it. “There is always more to discover and another experiment to
try. I’ll continue to share what I find on social media and occasionally
hosting related events, whether that’s bug hunting, night trapping, or just
taking people on an adventure walk,” he said.
June Griggs, a certified activity director at Memorial Woodland Village
Nursing Center in Diamondhead, says returning to old hobbies or
learning something new can be very beneficial. “Hobbies give people a
sense of purpose, enjoyment, and accomplishment. Familiar activities
can bring back positive memories, while new activities challenge the
brain to help keep the mind engaged.”
She adds that activities can benefit the whole person. “Social
activities help seniors build friendships and feel connected
to others. Creative activities can provide an outlet for self-
expression.
“Physical activities can improve or maintain strength,
balance, flexibility, coordination, and energy.
Seniors need opportunities to exercise their minds just as
they need opportunities to move their bodies.” SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net June Griggs
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