Soul Searching Food for Thought
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| Sun, 09-21-2003 - 7:35pm |
1. How does getting older affect the way you really feel about yourself physically, emotionally, spiritualy?
2. With age comes wisdom. What are the most valuable lessons life has taught you? What experience could you pass on to others?
3. Who are your "age mentors"? Whose path to maturity has inspired you? Whose has served as a warning? Next to each name, write down what that person's life has taught you about aging.
4. It's a medical fact: People with connections live longer. Make a map of your social network. Put yourselrf in the center, then draw lines to family members, friends, coworkers, teachers, guides and spiritual or support group buddies you interact with regularly. How could you create more--or closer--relationships?
These are obviously personal questions that you wouldn't want to share on the board (I don't think). Copy them and try this yourself.
Phyllis

1. How does getting older affect the way you really feel about yourself physically, emotionally, spiritualy? Physically, well enough - I've made positive changes in the last few months that I plan to stick with (for the most part). I know I'm aging, but there are things I can do to put odds in my favor, with His guidance. Emotionally, sometimes I feel like I'm in a rut or that "I'm not doing enough". It might be the stage of my life right now, a SAHM with a preschooler. I need to keep in focus that our parenting, and me being with my DD, is most important to DD's social, emotional and intellectual development, even if it seems mundane to me. Spiritually, I wish I were further in my walk with the Lord, but then again, I've not made the efforts to sit and be with Him. That has changed this month, and I know that I can have a closer walk. I'm glad I finally got zapped with the Big Picture two years ago. I may not be as far along as I want to be, but I'm not "lost" anymore.
2. With age comes wisdom. What are the most valuable lessons life has taught you? What experience could you pass on to others? Materialism and worldly goals bring neither happiness nor stability - it just leaves you pining for more, and you never reach the point where you're satisfied. 3000 departed on 9/11, and many of them had the same goals and desires we do, yet it was all for naught. The surround-sound theater they had or hoped to get, the refinancing on their homes, 0% financing on their new cars, or upping the contributions in their 401k couldn't stop the inferno or stay their lives. The goals and desires of this world are temporary and in vain. If you're looking for stability... you'll find it in God, who offers a gift of grace in His son more precious than anything in the world that advertisers or advisors say you need.
3. Who are your "age mentors"? Whose path to maturity has inspired you? Whose has served as a warning? Next to each name, write down what that person's life has taught you about aging. Inspiration... gosh, I've been sort of going it alone because too many people are caught up in getting more and I just don't yearn after what they do. Sue & Chuck, a retired couple across the street, I admire. They live frugally, humbly, but enjoy what they have and have a tremendous love for each other and the blessing of the country in which they live. They do a lot of local traveling. I also admire my MIL, also for the love she shows for those around her, and her willingness to serve others. She's also active and sharp as a tack at age 76. Warning... a couple who are friends of ours. Nice as can be but their lives seem to revolve around what they can buy. And their preschool children are learning the same. They've been in financial trouble twice already, and now that their income has increased they have less reason to exercise self-control. I also am concerned about their health. Both are overweight (she's obese) - and I worry that (1) their kids will be the same way (they're little and energetic right now) and (2) they might not be around much beyond age 60 because they haven't taken care of themselves. They just don't seem to exercise self-control in a number of areas. Also, as much as I love him, my dad is a bit of a warning. He's healthy enough, but he's also caught up in spending money and doing as much as possible before he gets too old. He doesn't even think about the possibility of a serious illness putting him in a nursing home and not being able to get the health care he needs. Being a ward of the state might be fine for him, but if my mother should outlive him, she might not want to sit in somebody else's bathwater (my husband's words). And even though I've turned my inner hurt over to God (took almost 4 years) when they moved to be closer to his brothers (they only have one grandchild and chose to be closer to his great nieces and nephews instead of their own grandchild), I've learned from MIL's positive role and have decided that should I live long enough to become a grandparent, I'll definitely want to be active in my grandchild's (grandchildren's) lives. Not like my parents' passive role.
4. It's a medical fact: People with connections live longer. Make a map of your social network. Put yourselrf in the center, then draw lines to family members, friends, coworkers, teachers, guides and spiritual or support group buddies you interact with regularly. How could you create more--or closer--relationships? I could probably participate/lead more take on more activities... but that's not in my nature. I think perhaps I should just pick up the phone more.
Cussette
C