Not grim and not somber, this category wades into matters of death and dying with some observations about the big picture and details that sometimes don’t see the light of day! Full of years, readers and viewers will find this category a good place to begin conversations and redeem what might otherwise seem to be an easily avoided part of life.
Many items in our homes—appliances, automobiles, toys, structures, systems, furniture— may be poised at the edge of a sudden breakdown. Rust grows and corrodes; tiny internal parts fracture; elements burn out or mysterious materials stop working. In many cases, we have no warning about an impending breakdown, and so are surprised when a fuel pump stops working, a pipe bursts, a roof leaksMORE...
Perhaps I missed it—I read mostly non-fiction—but I could really use a story with a title something like This is How You Age Well. A tale of inspiring, even epic proportions. Sound familiar? If so, you may also appreciate the other side of that narrative: YOU may be a good teacher for others who want to understand how to move into their older years with grace and satisfaction. EvenMORE...
I’ve seen it coming in too many of the older people I know and love: Throwing in the towel—giving up or just not keeping up. Not caring about most things. Letting life and limb go to pot. Perhaps you’ve experienced small indications that this kind of thinking is germinating inside your spirit…? It’s easy to say that spiritually minded folks shouldn’t give up on life. But as we get older, someMORE...
This blog is part of an ongoing series that answers an intriguing question: What might it mean for older adults to claim that they are still “fearfully and wonderfully made?” Occasionally I spend time looking at parts of my body that aren’t working like they used to. For example, I’m noticing that, despite exercises to improve this condition, my neck wattle is approaching the size of a turkey’sMORE...
A graveyard is a good place to gain perspective on life—in all its tenses and tensions. The past tugging at the shirt sleeves of the present; the future hiding behind gravestones; today’s dirt and dust hiding yesterday’s ashes. In a cemetery, all of life can be rolled into one picture: A collection of markers that signal the lives of remarkable people. Cemeteries also call to mind the questionMORE...
What would happen if your memorial service was a truly unique experience for those who attended? Consider these observations: Most memorial services are buried in words—the verbal outpourings of grieving others who try to find just the right way to express an avalanche of emotions that show themselves in an avalanche of verbiage or platitudes. What would happen if your or my memorial service wasMORE...
Elsewhere here I’ve encouraged you to consider the task of planning your own memorial service, and communicating the plans to those who will survive you, as well as those who might develop that service. In these paragraphs I want to offer you some hints on how to go about that task. Start now The longer you wait, the harder the work will be, especially if your physical or mental conditions areMORE...
Planning your own memorial service is one of those advance death directives—like having a will or naming a power-of-attorney for your health and financial affairs—that makes good sense. Your memorial service—a valuable worship experience for all who survive you—may turn out to be the last and highest witness of your spiritual core. Those in attendance will come ready for more than a usual time ofMORE...
The effects of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are continuing to come into focus. Those of us who are older realize that it’s not only the residents of Texas and Florida who feel as though they have lost everything. We older adults can see how we might find ourselves in the same position. No matter how robust our lives and how sure we are of our capabilities, there will be times when we realize thatMORE...
In just a few days, an elderly friend of mine will begin her residency at a convalescent center. It’s a reasonably efficient and caring place, and the care that residents receive is rated highly. This move won’t be easy for my friend: This will feel like “the last place” she’ll live. Most likely she will be institutionalized there until the time of her death. This is still another step-down: FromMORE...
BOB SITZE has filled the many years of his lifework in diverse settings around the United States. His calling has included careers as a teacher/principal, church musician, writer/author, denominational executive staff member and meat worker. Bob lives in Wheaton, IL.