Guest Post

I’m not sure whether I vacated my old life or whether it vacated me ... but either way, I find myself here in this weird liminal space... betwixt and between two chapters of life, but not properly belonging in either.

It’s difficult to know when a "messy middle" begins and ends – and hard to know exactly what to do, how to do it, and how to move toward a new beginning. It is not only intellectually and physically challenging, but emotionally draining because of all that uncertainty.

We live in a world that is increasingly consumed by fear. There are many reasons for this, as I discuss in my new book, "The Journey Beyond Fear."

Regardless if it is the summer or winter, I love watching the Olympics--particularly figure skaters and gymnasts. But what I really like to learn are the stories behind the athletes, their families, challenges, and the hard work involved in getting to that elite level.

I am sitting on the front steps of my 96-year-old mother’s home. It’s my first visit in 18 months and long overdue, as is the haircut which was item No.1 on her to-do list.

Chip’s Note: This guest post comes from one of MEA’s Activists in Residence, Evelyn Reynolds, who just spent a couple weeks with us in Baja. We first became aware of Evelyn through ageism activist Ashton Applewhite and Evelyn’s Huffington Post essay, “Aging While Black.”

There's nothing like going back to work to improve our retirement years. I recently accepted a part-time gig at a brand-new Assisted Living facility close to home.

Enlightenment is nothing but a series of continual awakenings, the releasing of our own conditioning, layer upon layer, inching ourselves closer and closer to the truth. As we cultivate the courage to go beyond all our fears and doubts and take that first step into the vast infinite world of "not knowing" we will need something reliable to help guide us.

What if I have become all that I am meant to be? When this question wormed into my subconscious, I pretended not to notice. I put a little more effort into my omelet. I have countless strategies to stop the tape from looping in my head.

Here's an excerpt from a chapter called "Stewards of Light" from a book in progress by our Mastery Faculty member Mark Nepo called "The Long Walk Through Time." Lucky us to be able to see an early version before it's published.