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In
the mountains, the period as the snow melts, but before the spring
arrives, is called “mud season.” “Every mud season
is a kind of death,” writes Philip Simmons, “with resurrection
lying on the other side.” Without the mud, he notes, there
would be no flowers.
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The
Future Me: Authoring the Second Half of Your
Life
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While
we are young, healthy, and able, we tend to deny the frailty
of our physical selves. Contemplating and accepting the prospect
of loss and death is painful. However, coming to terms with
these realities and releasing ourselves from our fears can
help soften, if not transform, the aging process. An
honest appreciation of life’s limits and losses can inspire
insight and compassion.
Some
changes in the way memory works are a normal part of aging,”
writes Dr. Bruce Robinson of Sarasota Memorial Hospital, on
the Web site Infoaging.org.
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some of the people, relationships, hopes, ideals, or beliefs
that you have lost or let go of during your life. |
| How
have these losses made room for new and productive aspects of
your life? For example, a painfully ended relationship may have
enabled you to meet your “true love.” A job lost in
an economic downturn may have helped you pursue a more fulfilling
career path. |
| Accepting
the prospect of loss and the limit of our lives can awaken us
to our deeper passions, our true priorities. Have you or has
someone you love confronted serious illness or even imminent
death? |
| How
did this experience change your outlook? |
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How
might you re-incorporate this “eyes-wide-open” perspective
into your life now?
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