Another Lesson from Francis of Assisi to Help Us Dance in Our Twilight
Caring for the Leper Within Jungian psychologists invite us to pay attention to our “shadow.” Our shadow that unconscious and repressed parts of our self, things we would rather not face, both negative AND positive. In this post I’d like to tell you another legend from the life of Francis of Assisi that invites us […]
Capturing My Legacy
In my last post I offered a list of questions to help you think about your legacy. In this post I’d like to provide you with some tools for capturing your legacy. Personal Journals or Photo albums Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash+ If you’ve kept a personal journal over the years you have a […]
What Will My Legacy Be?
Our twilight years can be a time of reflection on the meaning and impact of our lives, a time of thinking about our legacy. What is a legacy? Legacy is our lasting impact or influence on our family and friends and ultimately on the world. Legacy is about the richness of your life, including: your […]
New Year Resolution for Your Twilight
In my work as a hospice chaplain, I often listened to the regrets people had as their life was coming to an end. Based on the regrets I heard most often; I would like to propose three New Year’s resolutions for you to consider.. “I will take good care of myself.” At life’s end, people […]
Wisdom for the New Year
In the 1920s the Library of Congress held about 3 million items. In the 2020s the Library of Congress holds over 170 million items. Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash In the 1920s the average person had access to local library and perhaps a few dozen books at home. In the 2020s the average smartphone […]
Surviving the Holidays in Your Twilight: Joy
f you are facing loneliness, family conflict, or illness during your holiday twilight years, where can you find joy? Here are some simple suggestions to brighten the Thanksgiving—Christmas—New Years stretch of time. Children Photo by __ drz __ on Unsplash The joy of little children during the holidays is contagious. Spend some time with little […]
Surviving the Holidays in Your Twilight: Family
The bossy mother-in law. The alcoholic father. The self-centered uncle. The verbally abusive child. The aloof sister. The know-it-all brother. The holiday table is often seated with difficult family members transforming “tidings of comfort and joy” into whispers of “when will they leave?” So, when the holidays in your twilight years become “Twilight Zone, how […]
Surviving the Holidays in Your Twilight: Alone
In our twilight years the holidays can be a blessing for some and a curse for others. If you are included in a loving family or a circle of friends, the holidays can be a blessing, a time for expressing love, making and sharing memories. If you are alone, or ill, the holidays can seem […]
Grieving the Death of a Child in Your Twilight
As a hospice chaplain, I sat with older adults who experienced the death of their adult child. Older adults who lose a child to death often say, “”It should have been me!” When someone loses a child at any age, there are no words to ease a parent’s pain. So I offer no words, only […]
Faith in Your Twilight
In my years in ministry, I have observed that people’s faith in whoever or whatever they call “God,” may be hardened, deepened, or abandoned in their twilight years. Hardened Faith Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash When people are convinced that they have a lock on the truth about God their faith often hardens into a rigid set […]