Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

EndNotes

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life

I gave up most self-help books a few years ago, realizing that most answers are likely within and I was getting tired of the deeper life questions, to be honest. I was hoping to be more "superfluous" as my sister mistakenly heard me explain. I meant "superficial" but superfluous works, too.

Anyway, on a recent road trip, I listened to A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life -- a recording of a retreat given in 2004 by Franciscan priest Richard Rohr and Paula D'Arcy, writer and conference leader who lost her young husband and toddler daughter decades ago in an accident with a drunken driver.

These are wise people. And so much of what they said has stuck with me including,

At some point, everyone and everything will disappoint you.

Everything is a gift. We are entitled to nothing, really.

The task of the second half of life is to break some of the rules we adhered to in the first half of life.

What rules would you like to break?



Spokesman-Review features writer Rebecca Nappi, along with writer Catherine Johnston of Olympia, Wash., discuss here issues facing aging boomers, seniors and those experiencing serious illness, dying, death and other forms of loss.