In this category you can find all the blogs that focus on mind/body matters, separately or intertwined. As people age, this aspect of life can be the most worrisome or worse. In these blogs, “fullness” suggests otherwise.
Over my years of elderhood, I’ve noticed that some of us may have lost some of our abilities to empathize with others. This certainly isn’t a phenomenon seen among just older adults, but it feels unseemly, maybe even pitiable for those of us who are elders. What have I noticed? Older adults who behave as if they’ve forgotten that other people exist in their immediate physical surroundings. WhoMORE...
(Perhaps like you, I’ve been startled by the results of the recent national elections. After trying to parse what may have happened, I realized that it could be more helpful to think about what might lie ahead. That frame of mind could be more hopeful/courageous and thus more motivating. What follows are my ruminations about how I might purposefully approach a future that right now looks ominousMORE...
(As we consider these times—and pray about them—our words can help shape our own and others’ spirits for what we face each day. Our thoughts may grow more intriguing as we increase the variety of our words—sparking listeners/readers’ interest. Today I offer some familiar terms that may enrich your communications, and add *synonyms that might color your conversations and writing with especiallyMORE...
Glum thoughts result in glum outlooks and withered motivations to live a purposed life. That sentence describes much of my thought patterns and lifestyle over way too many recent weeks. To be blunt about it: My older adult brain has not been firing on all its best neuronal cylinders. Perhaps you are experiencing the same state of a dimming mindset. What to do? St. Paul—who faced overwhelmingMORE...
(The following entry is inspired by Jean Francois-Millet’s famous painting, “Angelus”. It depicts an elderly farming couple coming to the end of their workday with a moment of standing-in-the-field prayer.) Like many of you, Chris and I share words of spoken gratitude before our evening meal. Sometimes called “grace,” these varied prayers involve just the two of us, so they may seem small andMORE...
One truism about older adulthood is that some of our life-decisions may now lead toward possible dead-ends. Places where no good choices remain, realities from which we cannot escape. (Familiar examples: Smoking from a young age, ignoring good health habits or spending beyond our means.) This truth leads me to wonder what might be happen when we finally realize that we’ve come to any ofMORE...
One truism about older adulthood is that some of our life-decisions may now lead toward possible dead-ends. Places where no good choices remain, realities from which we cannot escape. (Familiar examples: Smoking from a young age, ignoring good health habits or spending beyond our means.) This truth leads me to wonder what might be happen when we finally realize that we’ve come to any of life’sMORE...
In case you haven’t noticed it, a significant segment of our nation’s economy is based on the promotion of scorn as an attitudinal pre-requisite for life as we know it. This industry includes bloviators and scorn stars, certainly, but there’s also money to be made in other segments of this burgeoning enterprise. (Here think of politicians ratcheting up hate speech to encourage campaignMORE...
I’m not sure about the most recent source of this observation, but it seems important to reiterate it right now: Much of what’s good about our society rests on the dedication and expertise of public servants. Government employees are similar in many ways to skilled workers in any enterprise. Their work often requires long hours under difficult circumstances. They weave their modest efforts intoMORE...
Over about six years now, I’ve grown increasingly wary about elements of daily life that have shown themselves as potentially dangerous. The ascendancy of a treacherous autocrat started the process, continuing with his tumultuous years as presumed leader of the free world. A variety of near-thefts of my online identity added to my cautious spirit, as did several widespread hacks of enterprisesMORE...
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.