William Penn Life, 2014 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2014-11-01 / 11. szám

Aging Well

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Spirituality: the path to aging well

William Penn Life 0 November 2014 0 11

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first installment of a new recurring feature of William Penn Life entitled Aging Well. Its focus will be on achieving optimum wellness as we age through assessing and improving the physical, social, spiritual, intellectual, vocational, emotional and environmental aspects of life. It will feature information, advice and reflections from Cathy Graham, director of the Graceful Aging Wellness Center at Bethlen Communities in Ligonier, Pa.)

IT OCCURRED TO ME one morning as I was walking my beloved miniature fox terrier Brax, that when I walk my dog, I talk to God.

The past few weeks had been very full for me. Perhaps you can relate to a time in your own life when things were just shy of crazy. It happens innocently enough: a few more dynamics float into the regular schedule called life and—BAM!—before you know it, you are going 50 miles an hour in 10 different directions, catapulting through space.

That was exactly the frame of scrambled mind I was in when I went to sleep the night before and when I woke up that morning. The only difference was that on that day, I called a truce.

As I embarked on my morning ritual of walking Brax, I took a few deep breaths and took in my surroundings. Brax has a wonderful way of sniffing a leaf or a patch of grass for extended periods of time, which allows me to slow down and sort the debris bouncing around in my head. Dawdling allows me to clear my mind's table.

As Brax investigated a tree, I found myself connecting to my roots and reaching out to God.

Ahhhhhh! Everything became

clearer in my mind as I stabilized myself on the principles of being on God's team. I reminded myself that I am not alone, and that there is a higher power looking over me.

This is my version of spirituality. This is what works for me. Having a foolproof way to establish a sense of balance and purpose in the midst of disarray is the bee's knees for personal wellness. Without it, life can become overwhelming and unfulfilling. While spirituality is a "different strokes for different folks" kind of thing, the benefits are common ground.

Now, it is my turn to ask a question: What is your method of self-restoration? Shrugging your shoulders in noncompliance won't cut it, Jack. Establishing a way to bring meaning, hope and inner peace to each day is the most important thing you can do for personal enrichment. A daily practice of connecting to whatever it is that makes you feel loved and supported is truly important. Some folks meditate; others listen to music, practice yoga, bake, attend Bible study, play sports or iron (yes, I know a woman who turns to ironing when she has a problem to digest).

Spirituality is a highly personal matter that leads us to our fundamental beliefs and purpose. It is the ultimate antidote for feeling strewn.

As we approach the upcoming weeks and our to-do lists explode, have your personal map to inner peace in your back pocket. You can rest assured that at the first sign of overload, this girl is going to walk the dog and talk to God. □