There is a wonderful time in our lives for Eldering.  It provides us with the opportunity to become Wisdom-Keepers, and Wisdom-Passers for the generations which will follow us.  These generations will be richer because we have lived – if we only take the time to relish, develop and enrich this sacred time of our lives.

 

Eldering encourages us to leave a legacy "unto the seventh generation" (one we will never see) – one which will inspire, guide and mentor those thinkers and dreamers who will come after us.  Our Eldering time is "the last of life for which the first was made." (Robert Browning)  It is a time when we cannot do what we did before, but a much richer time wherein we can do many things we neither had the wisdom nor the time to do previously.  God gives us the second '50' to do what we were not able to do in the first '50' – and this is to become Elders who have the ability to become Sages.

 

As Elders, we choose to expand our consciousness, we choose to keep growing spiritually by engaging in this way of life as we have never done before.   We keep growing emotionally, and can acknowledge the precious potential that is still ours to grasp and develop.  We affirm all that has been part of our past – pain and pleasure – and lay the groundwork for the creative future which can yet be ours.

 

We must express our legacy as if it is happening right now.  All of our goals and visions must be stated in the present tense to make them do-able.  Our lives have worth; we must fulfill the role unique to us or it will never be accomplished.  This completed life is the best legacy we can give; it will be one listened to because it came from deep inside our hearts and was lived –out in every fiber of our beings.