WISDOM OF ELDERS

The WisdOm of Elders – AN INTRODUCTION

1/6/2020

‘Wisdom’ per se is not by any means a function of age. Wisdom may come from anyone – even a small child may astound those around them with a wise comment or observation on life. Wisdom can be felt in youngsters and we all know the saying “She’s wiser than her years.” Yet years lived do not necessarily guarantee that one will be wise in their old age. We all know many people who have become more and more withdrawn from life with the passing years. Whilst elder wisdom can be accessed at any age, it is usually expressed when one has moved out of emotional reactions to situations and instead approaches everything before one with the wisdom of understanding and allowing. It comes with full acceptance of oneself, which provides a deeper appreciation and thus an understanding and acceptance of others.

VULNERABILITY – A STRENGTH OR A WEAKNESS?

27/5/2020

At a time in history when the world is experiencing the outplay of the pandemic known as Covid-19, I am sure that there are many amongst us who are feeling very vulnerable; from our wonderful elders, to those whose health may be already compromised in some way, and others who constantly live with various degrees of anxiousness, no matter what is going in the world around them.

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON ISOLATION

27/5/2020

It was day one in isolation in The Hoi An Beach Resort Hotel, sitting on the steps looking out to the river front contemplating how on earth I would manage the next nine days… I was watching a very small fishing boat in the middle of the river. I had noticed it the day before, sitting for hours in the full sun.

UNDERSTANDING SENSITIVITY

30/4/2020

What do we mean when we talk about being sensitive and how does sensitivity feel in our body? I realize that I have used this word for a long time without having an understanding of the true meaning – and that I sometimes use words without due respect and integrity. I have ‘used’ words carelessly for so long and now I am feeling that I want to connect to the truth of the words that I use. Without this connection words become worthless and meaningless.

FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY IN MY 70’S

31/3/2020

Like giving birth to a baby, no-one can prepare you for what lies ahead – you can’t see how your life will be in your 70’s. It’s up to you to live it your way. It’s about how you have lived and how flexible you are able to be in adapting to this later cycle of your life – it’s a work in progress. So, what does this look like for me and how important is it for me to remain flexible and adaptable in my 70’s?

NEVER TOO OLD TO GET TO WHERE I WANT TO GO

31/3/2020

On my favourite gorge walk recently, with steep cliffs and rocks going down to the water I saw two younger people snorkelling and swimming. I noticed two other women standing on the edge of the water also. I was wondering how did these ‘young ones’ – I am 66 – get down there? There were no stairs, paths, or any easy way visible to get down there.

TAKING STOCK OF LIFE

30/1/2020

When I was 19 and 20 I felt like I was invincible – abundant with energy and passion. I thought I was going to live forever and nothing was going to get in my way. I was living for the experience of what I saw around me, I was reckless and did not really care for myself or for others. My recklessness led me to a bad car accident and a few other reality checks.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS – WHY IS IT SO HARD TO STICK TO THEM?

30/12/2019

How often have you made a new year’s resolution and within a few weeks or months found yourself back in the old pattern doing exactly what you resolved not to do? You may have had the best of intentions but why is it so hard to stick to your resolve?

The first question to ask is: Where is the resolve coming from?

IMPERMANENCE - WHAT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH IT?

30/8/2019

Impermanence is the nature of human existence. We might think impermanence relates particularly to situations where we fear losing something or someone, e.g. the death of a parent or partner, the end of a relationship or the loss of a job.

BEAUTY IN FULL BLOOM - CELEBRATION IN OUR ELDER YEARS.

31/7/2019

When we enter the cycle of redefining celebration in our elder years it may be hard for us to acknowledge it as a time for celebration due to the conditioning of our beliefs and ideals. However, if we look at the true meaning of celebration there is much to celebrate as we grow older – our beauty in full bloom.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? PART 3: HOW CAN WE PREPARE FOR OUR FUTURE?

30/5/2019

So, what does the futurehold for us? Will it mean that elders will need to be proactive in all decision-making processes whether it is personal, physical or political?

Yes, definitely – empowerment for elders is in our hands – now and in the future but only if we are actively engaged in our commitment to life during these final decades.

WHAT DOES OUR FUTURE HOLD? PART 2: EMPOWERMENT FOR ELDERS

29/4/2019

The need for empowerment for elders was made clear by our previous article, Part 1: What Does Our Future Hold.
The following statistics, quoted at the 2014 UN Convention for the Rights of Older Persons, reveal the urgency of looking at what the future holds for ageing in society: 'In Australia, the average life expectancy is now over 80 for both men and women and rising . . .

WHO SAYS WE ARE OLD?

29/4/2019

Well what about this aged question. Who is old? Who says we are old? Who said we are past our ‘use by date?’ Who set the benchmark? Whoever they are, I say – get a life!

I love celebrating birthdays, mine and other peoples. Especially the ‘grandies’ (grandchildren). They are a celebration of life and worthy of acknowledging.

AGEING IN SOCIETY - WHAT DOES OUR FUTURE HOLD?

30/3/2019

Is there another way to age rather than the commonly accepted picture our western society currently holds about ageing and how the aged are treated?

Perhaps it is time we changed the way we view ageing and altered the labels we have created that identify the concept of getting older.

LOVE IS FOREVER

27/2/2019

Am I living or dying? I’m alive, therefore, I am living.
Whatever our age, whatever our physical state of being, while we are alive we are living and we can live life to the full. Having a life-limiting illness or disease or a physical disability does not prevent us from deepening our understanding of who we are and the reflection we can offer to those around us.

RESPONSIBILITY – MY ONGOING THOUGHTS

30/1/2019

Did anyone see the video of the driverless car that was recently being trialed in the US? It had a driver sitting in it, but the car was on automatic mode and hit and killed a woman who was walking her bike across the road. The video showed the ‘driver’ sitting behind the wheel looking down, probably texting on his phone, and suddenly looking up with horror on his face as he realised what has happened.

GROWING UP IN A CATHOLIC FAMILY – WHERE FEAR AND CONTROL WERE THE ORDER OF THE DAY

30/12/2018

I was brought up in a Chronically Catholic Family where the church ruled our existence in every aspect.
We had the added bonus (not) of actually living right next door to the Presbytery (they call them Parish Houses these days), which just so happened to be next door to the Parish Church itself. This enabled both my parents to attend mass pretty much every single day.

EASY ON THE EYE – SELF-WORTH AND DAMNING MESSAGES

30/11/2018

I woke this morning feeling my femininity and quietly said to myself, “I think I’ll wear a skirt today.” Then out of nowhere I remembered the cursing cry of a young man calling out as I walked past him and his group of friends at the football. In a booming voice came the cry, “Those would have to be the skinniest pair of legs I’ve ever seen!” I was 18 or 19 and the shouted message was directed at me and in that moment my self-worth plummeted.

JUDGING THE ELDERLY – IS IT WISE?

29/11/2018

We look at old people residing in nursing homes and what do we see? Most times we see someone who is bent, deaf, slow to move and sometimes slow to understand and we judge them as being useless, but is that wise?
All of these people have lived a long life – they may have done things we never had an opportunity to do because ‘back in the day’ things were different.

VITALITY OF A DAFFODIL

30/10/2018

Even though a daffodil fades at the end of spring, there is a well of life held within the bulb, which is ready to sprout again in response to the call of the seasons . . .

Could it be that this life within me is like the vitality within the daffodil bulb that causes that bulb to flourish?

VITALITY – ALWAYS THERE WHENEVER WE CHOOSE TO LIVE IT

16/10/2018

How is our vitality affected when we are faced with new challenges?

Recently my husband underwent open-heart surgery. This has been a very big deal for him, as he was forced to go from being an active, strong worker to being an invalid, who was totally dependent for a while and very weak. It meant big changes for both of us.

A CONVERSATION ABOUT ‘AGEING WITH VITALITY’

30/9/2018

I am extremely fortunate to live in a community where the majority of the people are what I call ‘switched on.’ The are committed to their own health and the health of their families, friends and larger community and by this I mean physical and mental health and emotional well-being. They are very conscious of the quality of food they eat, when they eat and why they eat.

LIVING A VITAL LIFE WITHOUT STIMULANTS

29/9/2018

I used to be a very active sort of person who would make lists and tick them off – the sort of person you could rely on to get things done. Then one day I got sick and had to stop doing everything. After about a week I went back to having my morning coffee again and I could not believe how buzzy I felt. I did not like it at all. Being so sensitive after my illness I could easily feel how it took me ‘up’ and then dropped me ‘down’.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN OLDER PERSON?

30/7/2018

I find it quite hard to relate to what ‘being older’ and ‘ageing’ means for me and as I reflected on this I realised that it’s because age and growing old come with a load of beliefs, expectations and images of what it means, and to be honest, I don’t relate to this and I really don’t want to ‘buy it’! The picture of ageing carries the expectation of becoming invisible, being useless, no longer employable, losing our independence, losing our minds, needing help, doddery, forgetful, etc.

ELDER WISDOM - DOES IT COME WITH A RESPONSIBILITY?

29/6/2018

What do we mean by ‘Elder Wisdom’? What does it entail and who is privy to it? Have I got it? My age (three score years and ten plus a little more) could suggest that I might qualify and that I have wisdom to share. But is it more than just the accumulation of years and life experiences? Could there also be an element of responsibility that brings with it a deeper understanding of life?

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Photos copyright © by the photographers: Alan Johnston, Clayton Lloyd, Dean Whitling, Desiree Delaloye, Iris Pohl, Steffi Henn, Steve Leca ,
Shannon Everest, Matt Paul, Gayle Cue