Aging: The Master Teacher

Aging teaches me…  41. To be more kind and generous to my body42. To delight in the psychology of leisure43. To take charge of my life in new ways44. To be involved in a personal and continuous self-improvement program45. To rely on my internal strength powered by the Holy Spirit46. To express myself intimately and from the soul47. To learn the wise art of exceptional living … embrace change48. To practice PMA: Positive Mental Attitude49. To move toward personal integration50. To move from success to significance  © Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D.

Aging teaches me… 31. That peace is internal not external32. That I must always have dreams33. That I function best when I have a personal cause, passion, goal, or purpose that is bigger than me34. To have fun: activities that rejuvenate my body, or stimulate my mind, or enrich my soul.35. To welcome change into my life36. To see beauty, seek delight, and be in awe37. To give my burdens to God38. To cultivate a “confidant” relationship.39. That the maturation process is a time of emotional and spiritual vitality and vibrancy40. That aging is a time to “give-back” © Richard...

Aging teaches me…  21. The true purpose of life … to become “living virtue”22. The ultimate failure of life is not death; the ultimate failure of life is living without Love23. That my feeling are holy, they give me insight into where I need to change24. To live life balanced on Christ25. That as I mature my spiritual pace quickens.26. To distinguish between the “what” of me, and the “who” of me27. To reframe my view of aging from a “world-view” to a “soul-view”28. To rely on that small but potent inner voice of the Holy Spirit for guidance in...

Aging teaches me… 11. To become more comfortably “Who” I am12. To seek Love everywhere13. To honor close relationships14. To live in the holy present moment15. That the “maturing years” can be my finest spiritual hour16. The power and necessity of forgiveness17. That I have no more need for anger18. The immense value of letting go19. That I feel best when I give of myself20 That as I celebrate (not just practice) my faith, I find a new childlike freshness © Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D.

Aging teaches me…  That the true purpose of maturation is gaining closer communion with God That as my body diminishes, my spirit advances To live in a new abundance of inner light To light the path to sacred vitality To tend the garden of my soul To pursue personal and spiritual transformation To embrace my True Self To step beyond the “fake” of the world The paradox of living: that loss is my primary means for growth To become a spiritual elder, not ‘an elderly” © Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D.

Is aging more a problem or an opportunity?Friday, April 9 What does aging mean? Does aging have any enriching meaning at all? Aging presents us with something of a paradox. We joke about aging… and we curse aging. We focus on aging… and we want to forget aging. We try to hide aging… and we flaunt aging. We want to ignore aging… and yet aging can’t leave us alone. We need aging, mostly because we don’t care for the alternative… yet we certainly don’t want aging.  Yes, we seem to have a love–hate relationship with aging! And yes, I guess...