MSI Press Blog

  BOREDOM “Behold, I am making all things new.” --Revelations 21: 5   We often use slogans to guide us through life’s complexity. I recently learned two slogans popular among young people today. YOLO: “You only live once.” It proclaims that we have only this one precious and wild life. So, we must make the most of it. This maxim reiterates the ancient wisdom, “Life is short.” Take advantage of our allotted time. A second piece of complimentary guidance is FOMO: “Fear of missing out.” There is a sense of urgency to fill our brief time here with stimulating activities. We want to cram as many experiences as possible in our available time. Only then can we feel satisfied and happy. We Americans assume that a fast-moving, active life is a fulfilled life. “An idle mind is the workshop of the devil,” a time-honored epithet reminds us. A boring life is a useless one. We want to do as much as we can as quickly as we can. Our goal is to be productive and efficient. We confess...

  Exploring the Dark Side of the Moon Erik Erikson, well-known psychologist (1902-1994), proposed eight stages of human personality development (1993), each having a significant development task to complete in order to successfully go on to the next stage. The eighth and last stage he called maturity and identified it as beginning at age 65. The conflict experienced in maturity he described as ego integrity versus despair and the task as reflection on and acceptance of one’s life. Success, he suggested, is measured by feeling a true sense of oneself and having a fulfilled or fulfilling life. Reflection is a way to strengthen our confidence in transitioning to an aging woman with a sense of self and purpose. Some of the past is occurring in the moment. One of the women I interviewed would be 70 that year and is just now giving up working. “I haven’t had a summer off since I was 14 years old,” she said in a way that caused me to believe that she was astonished by this fact. That...

Preparing for the new year as a newly retired person? Looking for ways to enjoy life and continue to grow? Recommended: Creative Aging (Vassiliadis & Romer) Book definition: Creative Aging: A Baby Boomer's Guide to Successful Living encourages those who are at or nearing retirement to actively plan for the years ahead. Individual stories of Boomers who have learned to flourish after age 50 are showcased, along with productive influences gained from spirituality, health, and "the Woodstock Generation," including how to take inspiration from childhood and young adulthood to reignite; develop a passion for the troisieme age; use creativity to stay happy, healthy and enlightened; and formulate lifestyle plans that match expectations. Activities are provided at the end of each section to help the reader define and make life choices (and changes).