Surprised to find my heart increasingly tenderized as I read Wise Aging & Jewish Wisdom for Growing Older. Surprised to find my thoughts dwelling so much on my mother, at gaining fresh insights & perspectives on her final few years. Surprised to find myself righteously incensed at how shabbily our culture has - throughout my lifetime - approached aging, the aged; how clueless we've gotten about the millennia-honored concept of wise elders.
I think about Mom. Of John's mother. About treasured friends at this very moment on an annual Hawaiian holiday, four generations gathered together from various parts of the world to celebrate their love of each other, of family, of life; of a wonderful man not there this year, but forever in the hearts of his beloved wife, devoted children, grandchildren, greats. In mine.
Mom aged well. My mother-in-law aged well. Mom & Dad Z' aged well. Valued within their communities, honored within their families, they enjoyed friendships that bridged young & old. What did they do that helped them go so spectacularly against the tide of ageism in America?
One thing they held in common was that each savored & offered the shelter of friendship.
At this moment, my heart is pierced with rays of love & loving after seeing on Facebook a photo from that sweet gathering in Hawaii - a 3rd generation daughter-in-law swinging her 4th generation daughter up over her head, laughing on a golden beach, Pacific waves lapping toward their feet, mother & daughter in the pathway of a setting sun.
Something about that picture, combined with feelings stirred reading beautiful practices around aging, draws me to new depths of conviction that I am here, at this time & place, to be doing something to bring that sense of love & connection & continuity back into the larger world, the universe. To deepen our taste & touch of the flavor & shelter of friendship across all generations. This is my season to move past pleasant blooms & to bear fruit.
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creativespiritssc.com
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