Guest Post

One of my most treasured books is the classic Self-Renewal by John Gardner, which deals with the decay and renewal of societies, organizations, and individuals.

Many years ago, I was seeing two late eighty-something women in my psychotherapy practice.

On June 8, 1970, my mentor at Brandeis University, Abraham Maslow, collapsed and died suddenly from a massive heart attack. He’d had a cardiac event nineteen months earlier and knew that his risk of another heart attack was considerable. Earlier that year, in an interview published in Psychology Today, Maslow expressed gratitude for the time he had been given: “My attitude toward life changed. The word I use for it now is postmortem life. I could just as easily have died, so my living constitutes a kind of extra, a bonus…. I may just as well live as if I had already died…every single moment of every single day is transformed.”

In my sessions as a spiritual director, I started noticing something: whenever someone described someone as “wise”, it was usually a sage or spiritual teacher of some sort: a Richard Rohr, a Ken Wilbur, a Ram Dass, a Tara Brach.

A few months ago, Chip wrote a wonderful piece called “What Should We Do About U.S. Longevity?” I couldn’t help but think of the stress related issues involved. Stress is related to obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma. Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related.

In the pursuit of a fulfilling life, happiness often takes center stage. Martin Seligman, considered the father of positive psychology, believes that true happiness goes beyond momentary pleasure. His philosophy revolves around three paths to happiness: the pleasant life, the good life, and the meaningful life.

Sharing a bale of hay with Chip touring MEA’s Rising Circle Ranch outside Santa Fe, I asked if “reverent” was one of the five Ranch words. No, it was Sunmount’s, in-town campus. Thinking of the Blessed Mother statue in the courtyard, the Chapel’s mosaic façade and the envisioned Library, I agreed.

On a recent hike, I overheard a friendly, light conversation. As it danced across a variety of topics, one conversant was the Learner—she was asking questions and reflecting on the other’s answers with interest and appreciation. The other was the Answerer.

In my youth, I made a significant move from New Orleans to New York in pursuit of my deep passion for live theater. However, as I entered my 40s, I felt a profound calling within me, leading me to relocate once again, this time from New York to San Francisco.

Big birthdays are often a time for celebration, with a major holiday or a big party.