Thayer Public Library, Braintree   

Retirement can open new space for creativity, reflection, and connection. In this five-session course, participants will create one artwork in each class while exploring themes such as music, memory, nature, relationships, and personal growth. Inspired by artists whose works are in Boston-area museum collections, the course offers a relaxed, welcoming space for creative expression. No prior art experience is needed. The emphasis is not on technical skill, but on enjoyment, self-expression, and meaningful conversation. 

Drawing on speeches from the past 100 years, this course focuses on how political speeches persuade, inspire, divide, and shape history. Participants will analyze famous and lesser-known speeches from campaigns, debates, concessions, policy addresses as well as from other political events. Using video clips, transcripts, guided analysis, and  discussions, we will explore how content, delivery, audience connection, timing, and historical context influence a speech’s effectiveness and lasting impact. Together, we will examine why some political speeches inspire nations, shape history, or define a political era—while others fail, backfire, or disappear entirely. 

Conflict Resolution Through Effective Communication explores how communication shapes conflict and how everyday disagreements can become opportunities for growth. Through interactive discussions, role plays, self-assessment exercises, and practical activities, participants will improve active listening, constructive feedback, and communication skills; acquire better self-awareness; and learn strategies for managing difficult conversations. The course does not have any prerequisites, just curiosity and openness for experience sharing and learning. 

This is a viewing and discussion program. We will watch the documentary together in class and then share our thoughts about the film.  Did we grow as we discover the value and/or purpose of what we watched. We can critique the quality of the film; indicate our enjoyment of or our displeasure with it; say if we learned anything new; tell if you were surprised at anything. A full list of the documentaries will be provided at the first class. 

Have you ever gone to a Moth event and thought, “I would love to do that!” Then this is the class for you! Even if that isn’t your goal, this is still a fun and creative class. Students will learn the techniques of effective storytelling. Students will do activities in class to spark their creativity. Video clips of storytellers will be viewed and critiqued by students. Students will get to share their stories with fellow classmates to get their opinions. Finally, there will be a showcase in the last class where students can present their favorite story. 

In this 11th Exploring Longevity series, we will continue to explore human posture, an evolutionary miracle that enabled our species to evolve from quatrupedalism to bipedalism. We will explore how the S-shaped spine and upright posture have distinguished humans from other primates during our prolonged history of evolution. We will also examine how human posture, embedded in our social, cultural, and technological evolution, has played a critical role in our longevity and quality of independent living. This course has been enriched by the shared wisdom and insights from our participants’ lived experiences.

 

Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of Yang-style Tai Chi, the most widely practiced and popular style of Tai Chi, commonly referred to as “meditation in motion.” The Yang postures are characterized by their relaxed, expansive, simple, precise, centrally aligned, and harmoniously combined nature, incorporating both hard and soft elements. These postures can be positioned at high, middle, or low stances, accommodating individual preferences. This flexibility renders the Yang form suitable for health preservation and enhancement, thereby augmenting strength, balance, and overall fitness. Each class commences with warm-up exercises designed to promote softness, relaxation, and looseness. We will delve into fundamental principles and concepts, fostering body awareness, balance, and meditation. 

 

Fred Zinnemann was a young Austrian filmmaker when he came to Hollywood in 1929. After working as a cameraman, he began making films on his own within a few years. Although he made a wide variety of films, he was particularly gifted in featuring characters who face difficult, even impossible choices, particularly in wartime.  We will view a variety of these films, including Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Fonda in Julia, which features Meryl Streep’s first film appearance, the great Paul Scofield in his Oscar winning role in A Man for All Seasons, and one of the best American westerns, High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.  

This course will address the treatment of religion and religious beliefs under the First Amendment. We will first examine the evolution of the “separation of church and state”doctrine under the Establishment Clause, and explore the increasing tolerance for religious expressions in public life under recent decisions of the Supreme Court. We will also examine how the Roberts Court’s embrace of religious rights under the Free Exercise Clause, the Freedom of Speech Clause, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in recent years is redefining the traditional separation between government and religious organizations as well as the application of nondiscrimination laws, health regulations, and the regulation of corporate entities. Finally, we will touch on the current Christian Nationalist movement, the policies of Trump 2.0, and their impact on the resurgence of Christianity in public life. 

Developed by Dr. Paul Lam and the Tai Chi for Health Institute, this comprehensive program, based on the Sun style of Tai Chi, provides an in-depth understanding of its distinctive characteristics. This evidence-based program serves as an effective exercise regimen promoting holistic well-being, with customizable exertion levels suitable for individuals of varying abilities, including young seniors. It incorporates unique gentle qigong practices and a higher stance, making the learning process engaging and enjoyable. Published medical studies have demonstrated that this program offers numerous health benefits, including arthritis symptom relief, reduced pain, improved balance, fall risk reduction, flexibility, strength, cardiovascular fitness, immune system support, and tranquility. Arthritis foundations and the CDC recommend these evidence-based exercises. Each class commences with gentle warm-up exercises to foster softness, relaxation, and looseness, followed by the learning of fundamental Tai Chi postures, principles, and concepts. 

An engaging course that explores 30 artworks featured in Mona’s Eyes, blending literature, art history, storytelling, and the cultural legacy of the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and Beaubourg (the Centre Pompidou). Participants will examine how art shapes the novel’s meaning and discover how masterpieces can be read as both image and story.