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Category: Reflection

Dream Lofty Dreams

Sun, November 11, 2018 Published by

There was a prophetic ring to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s final article, written before his murder and published two weeks later.

His death has sparked global condemnation and a conversation over the importance of a free press and the right to free speech, and so it was particularly apt that his final comments referred to another journalist, currently imprisoned for making comments which displeased his nation’s government.

“Such actions,” Khashoggi wrote, “no longer carry the consequence of a backlash from the international community. Instead, they may trigger condemnation quickly followed by silence.” There has certainly been justifiable condemnation over Khashoggi’s death, but how quickly that condemnation is indeed followed by silence as the news media moves on to the next story.

Prophetic voices, those people who are called to draw into sharp focus the injustices and wrongs of their times are rarely welcomed. “They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, ‘Tell us what we want to hear. Let us keep our illusions’”, wrote Isaiah in the Old Testament.

Martin Luther King’s observation can continue to haunt us with its poignancy: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” Dr King leads us to ask of ourselves; what value is our initial indignation at a wrong if our concern wains as the wind?

In our defense, we may often feel that the concerns of the world and the desire for us to keep a focus on those in need is simply overwhelming. Perhaps we would do well then to also keep in mind the thoughts of Methodist preacher and broadcaster Colin Morris; “being finite and fitfully loving humans, we can only really feel for a few…Only God can love them all. The most we can do is to take hold of the near edge of one of these great issues and seek to act at some cost to ourselves.”

May we be prophetic voices for the great issues and causes of our hearts, calling others to hear words of truth and to advance the causes of justice and joy. May we all yearn to advance the dreams of hope and peace as the philosopher James Allen once remarked;

“dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil”.*

Naps of the Bible

Sun, October 21, 2018 Published by

Recently I found myself saying to Chaplain Andrew that “I would sleep on it and give him the decision in the morning.” Something was still unsettled in my mind and I knew that I needed time and the renewal of sleep to make the best decision.  It is amazing and often disconcerting how the mind keeps working when it is supposed to be resting.  Sometimes my most creative sermon writing comes when I’m napping or sleeping.  It’s taken awhile for me to learn the advantages of napping.  Taking a power nap is tricky though, it can’t be too long because then I feel groggy for the rest of the day, an hour or so usually seems about right.  I remember times when I laid down to take a quick cat nap and woke up hours later.  Studies have shown that power naps can boost your memory, cognitive skills, creativity, mood and energy level!

Rev. Maren Tirabassi is a U.C.C. pastor in New Hampshire and she has written a delightful piece on naps in the Bible. She says, “Jacob ran, scared to death of his brother Esau who was … huge. Exhausted in the wilderness, he put his head on a rock and dreamed a legislature of angels. Jacob woke knowing God was in every scary place or runaway journey, but only because sleep gave the dreaming a chance. Joseph of Nazareth planned to send away his beloved Mary, because that’s how being hurt and angry works. Then he decided to sleep on it, and the rest was … well, Christmas! Jesus was taking a power nap in the boat between healings and teachings when a storm blew up. They had to shake him awake before he could say “peace, be still.” Only later he complained, “O you of little naps …”  And that’s not mentioning Nebuchadnezzar’s nightmare of conscience, Jonah’s snooze below decks before taking responsibility for his actions, the warning to the magi that there is always another way home, or the raising of Eutychus, the teenager who fell out the window reminding us that long sermons can be a form of melatonin.

Long ago and this week, the chance to actually experience a dream of hope, the pause that shifts an emotion-driven decision, the renewal of strength and faith to face any storm—they all come from sleep. Sleep gives energy, focus, creativity. Sleep weaves the frayed memory, improves the unreliable temper, and always makes working with the ragtag, clueless, practically disciple-esque folks in our resistance possible.”

When all else fails sometimes it’s best to just take a nap.*

WHAT INSPIRES ME TO STAY WELL IS…

Sun, October 14, 2018 Published by

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Every sentiment in the various lines submitted by our residents during Active Aging Week 2018 is represented in some way in the following poem.  However, it should be noted that in order to establish unity and harmony in form and content,  it was often necessary to rephrase, combine, or reorder the submitted items.  And this year, because most of the submissions were very short phrases with little description or elaboration (likely because of the way the prompt line was phrased), the items were grouped under introductory phrases, with some verbal nudging provided by the editor.  As always, it is hoped that the result manages to capture and celebrate the collective spirit of our special community.

WHAT INSPIRES ME TO STAY WELL IS…

The love of those dearest to me…
               my family
                                 my wife
                                 my husband
                                my children
                                my grandchildren
                my friends
                                my daily companions
                                my special friend
                my dog, my cat
Loving life and the blessings of each day
                Living in this wonderful world
                                with those dearest to me
                Being with so many friends

Experiencing…
               joy
               creativity 
               success
Feeling the satisfaction of taking good care of myself
                Keeping busy with things I love to do
                                Staying mobile by…
                                                exercising
                                                walking a lot
                                Working in my garden
                                Playing golf
                                Going to Lifelong Learning classes
Hoping to live long enough to…
                hike in the Grand Canyon one more time
                see the re-development of our campus
                see my grandkids make their way in life

Taking delight in…   
               good food
                looking good in my clothes
                good-looking young men
Serving others
                Pleasing those closest to me
Spreading happiness
Sharing my talents
Enjoying a renewed sense of vocation
                                Nursing
                                Teaching
                                Making music
Another chance each day to get it right
Hope for a better tomorrow
                                                                All the above
                                                                and LOVE
Gratitude for
what I bring with me…my nursing background
                                     teaching background
lack of bad health -avoiding serious conditions
living in this wonderful world with Wimpy
my life with Norma
to please Lee
howdy partner

Blessed Be the Work of Our Hands

Sun, September 2, 2018 Published by

This is the week in our country set aside for Labor Day, that time when we are to honor the labor movement in America and reflect upon work and its significance.  My first job was working in the accounting department of a large law firm in San Francisco and then out of college I worked as a cast technician in an orthopedist’s office.  After much discernment I came to understand that with the gifts and skills that God has given me my work was to be as a minister.  Each of us devotes our life to certain labors, there are those who work in offices and warehouses, in stores or factories, those who work in the home raising a family; those who buy and sell; those who work by strength of arm or skill of hand; those who teach and those who govern.  Every day I see the laborers here on campus cutting grass, painting walls, serving food, emptying garbage, washing laundry, answering phones, holding hands, teaching classes and I am reminded that the psalmist prayed: “Bless the work of our hands, O Lord.” The work of our hands doesn’t stop when we retire for we still labor to care for others, care for the earth, and live out our God-given purpose.  Every day I see your labors serving others and serving this community in countless ways.  This week let us show honor and appreciation for the work of the hands around us, and let us also be thoughtful of those who are unable to work through disability or unemployment. May the Holy Spirit bless all our labors. 

Blessed be the hands that touch young lives – babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Blessed be the hands that embrace others with compassion.

Blessed be the hands that administer medicine, give aspirin, bandage wounds.

Blessed be the hands that prepare meals.

Blessed be the hands that wash dishes, clean floors, arrange flowers.

Blessed be the hands that anoint the sick and offer blessings.

Blessed be the hands that grow stiff with age.

Blessed be the hands that comfort the dying and have held the dead.

Blessed be the hands that capture a memory in art and poetry and song.

Blessed be the hands that guide the young.

Blessed be the hands that greet strangers.

Blessed be the hands that learn the way of justice.

Blessed be the hands that fill out applications, write papers, carry books, send e-mails.

Blessed be the hands that receive and sort information, and hands that determine budgets.

Blessed be the hands; we hold the future in these hands.

Blessed be our hands, for they are the work of your hands, O Holy One. AMEN.*

Forgive Our Foolish Ways

Sun, August 5, 2018 Published by

As you read this I will be away from the Campus and enjoying some time in Britain. I will be making the most of escaping the heat, spending time with family and friends and enjoying the British delicacies not available in Arizona.

For anyone, a journey back home is mixed with nostalgia. I will be driving along the roads on which I first learned to drive and seeing the places and people who helped to shape and influence me. It will be a trip down memory lane. I will also be occupying a new role in one of those familiar places after having been invited to preach at the church I attended throughout my childhood. Rather than being the child sitting in the pew hoping for a short sermon, I shall be the preacher perched aloft in the pulpit looking out over the children probably holding hopes similar to mine when I was in their seat.

I sang in the choir of that church and so, during the summer, was often called upon to sing at weddings. I distinctly remember the wedding where the bride couldn’t stop sneezing. The wedding where the groom fainted also understandably sticks in my mind. But I also remember the wedding ceremony which began with the hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways.’ Even as a child at the time, the humor of that beginning was not lost on me. The words to that hymn are taken from a much longer poem written by the American Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whittier. A prolific hymnwriter, almost all of Whittier’s 500 hymns have been consigned to the dusty shelves of choir libraries, with the notable exception of ‘Dear Lord and Father of mankind’. Perhaps that is because of its prayerful words, the sentiments of which are felt by us still today.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease. Take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of Thy peace. Breathe through the heats of our desire Thy coolness and Thy balm; Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;

Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm.

I may not be able to remember all the sermons that I heard while sitting in that church, but I do remember encountering the beauty of God’s peace and presence, and that still small voice of calm.

We all sometimes feel as though we are being shaken in an earthquake of upheaval. The winds of change can sometimes blow fiercely and unwanted around us. The fire of hatred and division can seem at times to burn unabated in the world. And yet, through change and chance, God is with us. May we all hear that still small voice of calm in our lives. May we find our stress and worry relieved, our foolish ways forgiven.*

On Keeping Score

Sun, July 29, 2018 Published by

As human beings we love to keep score.  The first question you want to know when you turn on a game already in progress is, “What’s the score?!”  The first important scorekeepers in our lives are our parents.  As we grow up, we are eager to learn how to win their attention, their smiles, their approval.  Teachers may be next as they keep score with report cards.  Coaches teach us to keep score and, later on, it’s our bosses, co workers, or neighbors.  Our educational system is based on test scores, GPAs, AP, ACT and SAT scores. An online magazine recently posted a list of the 50 most beautiful women in the world ranked from 1 to 50. Honestly, I thought that #50 was just as beautiful as #1 but I wonder if the one at the bottom of the list was upset? Unfortunately, our inner sense of worth and well-being is often tied to the scores that we get.

One of the ways we tend to keep score is by comparisons.  My father used to say, “Comparisons are odious” when any of his girls would play the game of comparisons.  Psychologists say people engage in three types of comparing.  They compare their situation to those who are better off—upward comparison.  They compare themselves to those at the same level—lateral comparison.  And they compare themselves to those who are worse off—downward comparison.  Each type carries dangers: the first incites envy, the second competition, and the third arrogance.  If we define our own value and the value of others in terms of the world scoring system we probably will always be unhappy.

How does God keep score? Thankfully, God doesn’t keep score.  Every morning as the sun rises we have a brand new day to live and to love.  Fresh start.  God works with totally different rules and has a different way of accounting.  There’s a passage of scripture where Paul says: “Your attitude should be the same  as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God  something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.”  Jesus wasn’t somebody who spent his life trying to climb up a ladder even though he was “at the top of the organizational chart of the universe.” Jesus looked like a failure in the world scoring system.  He wasn’t a   success by the standards of efficiency, good management, or outward success and his life ended in what seemed to be a colossal failure.  However, the cross shows us a different way of measuring success, a way that overturns our desire to keep score. Love keeps no record of wrongs.  True happiness starts when there is no need for score keeping anymore.*

Come Away and Rest a While

Sun, July 22, 2018 Published by

The writings of the New Testament remind us, in several places, of how as well as traveling and teaching, healing and preaching, Jesus set aside a time and a space for rest and rejuvenation.

We read how Jesus ‘would withdraw to deserted places for prayer,’ and the frequency of these periods of rest speak to their importance both for Jesus, and for us.

As Jesus put it to his disciples, ‘Come apart to a deserted place by yourself and rest a while.’ We may not always be able to literally wander out to some deserted place, but we can make a decision to purposely disconnect our minds and lives of distraction and worry while we make our retreat away from the worries of the world. Maya Angelou puts it like this; “Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”

It is for those reasons, as well as wanting to provide a time of worship and learning, that the Spiritual Life Department has scheduled a day of retreat on Saturday, September 15, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. in the Life Center. To help us in our reflection we will be using some of the time to look at the works of Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, collectively known as some of the greatest Christian mystics.

Materials for study and lunch are included. Space is limited, and so reservations are required. To reserve your space, please RSVP to Kimberly Bravo x18465 by September 1.*

Can You Catch the “Old Disease”?

Sun, July 22, 2018 Published by

Brad Breeding of MyLifeSite spends a lot of time travelling around the country, speaking to groups of people about senior living options, including Life Plan Communities such as Beatitudes Campus. During his travels, he mentions that he’s fortunate to meet people who live in these communities, as well as people who may be considering a move to a Life Plan Community or other type of senior living community; it’s always eye-opening to hear the perspectives of both personas.

In conversations that I have with prospective residents, I sometimes hear people say that they are hesitant to move to a retirement community because they aren’t ready yet or don’t want to be around a bunch of “old people,” maybe because they saw a few of the residents using assistive devices, such as walkers or scooters.

I believe I understand the sentiments—conscious or subconscious—that they are voicing.

Lack of diversity vs. fear of aging

For some, what they may really be saying is that they prefer to live in an intergenerational environment, meaning a community with people of all different ages. That’s an understandable wish. Fortunately, even though by definition they are age-qualified, more and more senior living communities are developing intergenerational programs. These initiatives offer numerous benefits to both the residents and the younger generations involved in them.

But for many other seniors who say they don’t want to live with other older people, I can’t help but wonder if on some level, they are saying that they are worried about catching the “old disease.” I’ve even heard people well into their 80s and beyond express that they feel they are too young to move to such a community. Even if it is on a subconscious level, it’s as if they feel that if they’re around people who have experienced physical decline as a result of a health condition or the natural aging process, they too will become older and frailer—like a contagious disease.

A continued lifestyle

For seniors who voice concerns about living among “old people,” perhaps they’ve been fortunate enough to have lived a long and healthy life thus far by remaining active, eating well, AND staying young-at-heart. But does that mean being around other older adults will stifle that? In Brad’s experience visiting nearly a hundred Life Plan Communities, he states that he has not found much evidence of this.

“People who are active and have healthy habits when they move to a Life Plan Community or other senior living community are likely going to remain that way, if not more so. In fact, many residents feel they are far healthier and happier than they would have been otherwise. Are there exceptions? Sure, but in my conversations with Life Plan Community residents across the country I hear far more positives than negatives. This is due, in large part, to the wide variety of ways Life Plan Communities further enable and enhance this active lifestyle among their residents. From fitness classes and wellness centers to healthy menu options; from social gatherings and cultural excursions, to affinity groups and lifelong learning—there are countless (but of course, optional) ways to stay physically active and mentally engaged when you live in a Life Plan Community. Of course, residents are not restricted in any way from doing any of the same things they did previously, such as eating out, travelling, attending dinner parties with friends, etc.

So, for those seniors who are opposed to living in a Life Plan Community or other retirement community because they don’t want to be around other “older people”, isn’t this, on some level, ageism among peers? Or does it speak to a more deep-seated fear and/or disdain of aging that is common among Americans?”

Contempt for growing old

A 2013 Pew Research Center survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults examined people’s views of aging, medical advancements, and life extension. While modern medicine is helping people live longer lives, not everyone views this as a good thing. When survey respondents were asked how long they would like to live:

Less than 10 percent of people were hoping to live to be 100 or older.

20 percent of respondents said they wanted to live into their 90s.

32 percent said they would like to live into their 80s.

30 percent of survey participants said they didn’t want to make it past 80.

Interestingly, on the flipside, this survey also revealed that 41 percent of respondents believed that “having more elderly people in the population” is a positive for society.

I find the results of this survey intriguing. Even though older adults are viewed as a positive force within our country, nearly two-thirds of people in this survey didn’t want to live to be 90. This seems like a fascinating paradox.

When looking at the results of the Pew survey, what I believe so many people are missing in this equation is that age truly is just a number. I do not mean to be naive or deny the changes that come with aging. The fact is that some people come to grips with the realities of aging better than others, but I’ve met many people in their 80s and 90s who are still as healthy and spry as someone three decades their junior. The one common denominator I have found among them is a positive attitude and outlook on life, regardless of the age or physical condition.

Here’s my question: Can we as a society get to a place where a person, regardless of age or physical condition, is embraced as a valuable individual, both for who they are and what they’ve done in life? Can we focus not on age, but on what we can learn from one another, and grow as individuals as a result of our shared experiences?*

Time to Think

Sun, June 10, 2018 Published by

“I hate my mom’s phone and I wish she never had one.”

Those are the bitter words of a seven year old girl whose teacher had asked her to name an item she wished had never been invented. Like many of her classmates, she chose the cell phone. It appears as though that girl is jealous because her mother appears so bound up in tweeting and texting and emailing that she has no time left for her, and last week her poignant reflection boomed around the internet, read no doubt by most people on their phones.

The problem is the pressure that so many of us place on time. It is too easy to view time as a commodity that needs to be exploited to the full. We can end up cramming every single second with activity so there is no space left in our lives at all. Pope Francis has invented a word for this tendency ever to increase the pace of life. He calls it rapidification. A faster pace of life means an ever greater consumption of the world’s finite resources, and so Pope Francis suggests that the pressure we are putting on time has become a critical issue for the future of the planet.

It may be that an eighth century Saint can pour some wisdom into this very contemporary conundrum. Bede was a monk who lived in the North of England around 672/3 – 735. Bede had a fascination with time. He monitored the tides, he watched the movements of the moon and stars, but Bede had a very different understanding of the purpose of time. For him time was not a commodity to fill up but a means of marking out the spaces where he could meet with God. It was a way of ensuring that life was fitted around a daily pattern of prayer and an annual calendar of seasons and festivals that told the story of Jesus. The purpose of time was to encounter the timelessness of God and, in so doing, to discover human identity.

Maybe there is something in Bede’s thinking that can help us all. Rather than seeing time as something we have to fill up and exploit to the maximum, perhaps we might begin  to see it as the space in which relationships can be fed and human purpose explored. Empty time is good time. Being with those who are close to us is time well spent. Why not lose the phone, slow down and ‘waste’ some time with the people you love.*

A Legacy of Rich History

Mon, July 24, 2017 Published by

Yvonne Olivier Bechet, 83, was one of the first women to pass through the New Orleans Police Department’s academy. She describes how the stigma against women at the time challenged her just as much as the rigorous physical requirements she faced, but she kept her drive. After 22 years on the force, Bechet retired in 1990 as assistant superintendent. She now looks back fondly on the experience that she said made her feel like a superwoman.

“We’ve all been given life, and in living it, you have a story,” Bechet said.

I recently read about how Bechet told that story to an interviewer, as part of a national project to hear from retirement community residents and to record tales of their lives. It reminded me of some coffee table books that Rosey and I bought a number of years ago that were about “A Day in the Life of America.”  There was actually a huge amount of history behind most of the pictures.  It led me to think about the incredible histories that I hear as we meet many prospects considering a move to Beatitudes Campus.

A few years ago, a wonderful history of many Beatitudes Campus of Care (as it was then known) was published called Goals, Gumption and Grit.  I know that often those with a fascinating history are most excited to hear the stories of the other residents with whom they live.  One resident recently told me, “That’s a lesson in itself, that we can all learn from each other still.”

I also read about a project, called “These Eyes Have Seen,” that was started by a senior living organization in Florida and it made me think about all of the rich histories that I have been privileged to hear throughout my career.  Are there those of you who would be willing to share some of your stories that we could publish as we prepare for a new business year starting in October?  Watch for an announcement – we will be putting together a jazz brunch and photo shoot in the fall where we will record the stories that made you who you are.  I wanted to give you an advance notice so that you can begin to think how you’d like share your narrative and then we’ll formulate the interviews.

Thanks again for the opportunity to share a bit of life together.  I am indeed a far richer man than I deserve for the wisdom that has been shared with me over my career in senior living.  My job has allowed me to meet seniors who have traveled the world, penned calligraphy for the White House and captained steamboats without ever learning to swim. I’ve met someone who came to Phoenix on an “orphan train”, one lady that as a child she didn’t know butter was a solid (think about that one – pre-refrigeration), the stories of the first two women members of the Arizona legislature and the friendship they extended to me imparting behind the scenes, unique perspectives and a Basque sheepherder who detailed for me the path from the high country down the Mogollon Rim to the valley and how it all meshed together with emerging urbanization.  I have been so amazed by the American and Arizona history I’ve been able to experience first-hand.

I can’t wait for the weather to cool and we’ll get outside for this event to again showcase what I believe is one of the most fulfilling life plan communities anywhere!

What’s Your Ikigai?

Mon, June 26, 2017 Published by

Donald F. Fausel
Nov. 22, 1929 – June 12, 2017

For this article, I’d like to share one written by Dr. Don Fausel, one of our residents who passed away last week.  Don was a man of great insight and wisdom which you will find as you read his thoughts on “What’s Your Ikigai?”—Peggy R.

“It’s never been easy to be a human being! We have always had to wrestle with strong and painful fears. Now, if we face ourselves honestly, or if we merely eavesdrop on the secret murmurings of our heart, isn’t this what we discover—that one of our basic fears, the fear beneath many fears, is the dread of being nothing, of having no real importance, no lasting worth, no purpose in life.  It is precisely to this fear of being nobody, having no worth, that our Judeo-Christian-Humanitarian ethic reminds us that our basic value is not something we achieve in competition with everyone else, but something we gratefully accept along with everyone else. We need not become important, we are important. We need not become somebody, we are somebody. No matter what others may say or think about us, or do to us, we are somebody.

As we grow older and become less able to function physically or mentally as we did in our younger years, we need to remind ourselves, that we are still somebody, with the same dignity and worth, with the same God-given inalienable rights. Sometimes, when we’re not able to do a lot of the things we used to do, when our body is failing us and our short term memory is not as good as our long term memory, it’s hard for us to accept the fact that we are somebody worthwhile. That’s why it’s particularly important for us Elders to periodically ask ourselves, what is my purpose in life?

Several years ago, I discovered a Japanese word that captures the importance of having a positive attitude and purpose in our life. The word is Ikigai, (pronounced ee-ki-guy) the Japanese word used to describe why I get up in the morning, what my sense of purpose is. I love the word Ikigai! I like saying it! I like writing it! Ikigai, Ikigai! I think it was the beginning of my interest in happiness. I realized if you don’t have an Ikigai, you’re not going to be happy. I was even more impressed with the origin of the word and its application for us elders. Researchers have identified what they call Blue Zones. These are areas throughout the world with a high percentage of centenarians; places where people enjoy remarkably long full lives. Their lives are not only longer, but physically and mentally, they are more active than elders in other areas of the world. National Geographic’s, Dan Buettner, has traveled the globe to uncover the best strategies for longevity found in these Blue Zones. One of those areas is the Japanese island of Okinawa. It was there that he discovered that one of the characteristics for a long healthy life was having an Ikigai. To a resident of Okinawa, Ikigai can be anything from tending their vegetable garden, taking care of great grandchildren, to walking and exercising every day. Whatever it is that motivated them to remain involved, they give credit to their Ikigai. After years of research Dan Buettner concludes:

“One of the biggest revolutions in thought in our time is the changing of emphasis from physical health to mental health in connection to longevity. The effects of negative stress and ‘inflammation’ are cited more and more frequently as the cause of early death and lowered quality of life. One of the most important methods for counteracting that is Ikigai, a sense of purpose. … Ikigai is something that brings joy and contentment. It fills a person with resolve and a sense of satisfaction in what they are doing. Most of all, it brings happiness.”

In our own way, we need to seriously consider identifying our own Ikigai. We need to know and follow our values, passions and talents–and to share them by example, on a regular basis. It might be by living our lives, with our physical and mental restrictions, as a legacy for our grandchildren or great grandchildren, or showing compassion for those in need, who are less fortunate than we are. Whatever we choose to do, it’s our Ikigai. So what is it that gives your life a sense of worth? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Since I retired, my major Ikigai for the past five years or so has been writing. To paraphrase the French philosopher, Descartes, “I write, therefore I am!” What’s your Ikigai?

Points of Pride

Mon, June 12, 2017 Published by

Empowered power.

Dosia Carlson & Mim Hoover

Some of the most powerful people I know are living right here at Beatitudes Campus.  I stand back in awe of how, when asked to take responsibility for some aspect of our community’s growth, a vision that once seemed grand soon pales in comparison to what the resident(s) actually create.  A few weeks back, at the Arizona LeadingAge Conference (an organization that unites non-profit communities like ours), there was a powerful exhibition of purpose, power and empowerment – and it was by our very own Beatitudes Center for Lifelong Learners.

Dosia Carlson and Mim Hoover, with the help of Nell Bennett, who was not able to be present, put together a presentation, aptly titled, Success Story.  It wowed the administrators from the other communities who sat in on their workshop.  In the workshop, the participants learned how, when residents in a community like ours, are given a task to create, that the sky becomes the only limit, far surpassing what any one staff person could ever create or do.  The resident-run, Lifelong Learners Team, have created, not only a success story of a program in terms of number of participants and diversity of class options, but have impacted the lives of almost all those who participate and  have been given a sense of purpose in creating excellence.

As I said at the beginning, we have not a resident on Campus who is not gifted with immense power and talent.  The true sign of a successful community is how capable is it in empowering its members to be free to use their gifts toward the betterment of the entire community.  The ultimate job of administration in a community like ours is to facilitate the freedom to excel, and clear the path for creativity and ingenuity for any resident ready to take our community even further toward our goal.

I can testify for our administration that few things are    more gratifying than seeing our residents work together with us to accomplish great  things, making our community innovative and on the cutting edge of our field.  More and more of you are taking leadership roles and bringing great transformation to us with visions and ideas that we as staff would never come up with.  To just name a few –  the Environment Committee, the Garden Club, the Recycling Program, our English Language Assistance program, the resident’s Life Enrichment Team who plan our outings and activities and that is just the beginning.

You are leaders and models for senior communities, and I thank you for being a point of pride (and also for letting us boast a bit to our competitors) when it comes to residents with power and purpose lived out.

Don’t Worry

Mon, June 12, 2017 Published by

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

– Buddha

Are you a worrier? I know I am. I come from a great line of worry-warts in my family. We are exceptional at putting countless amounts of overthinking into situations and circumstances to which we have little to no control. It’s not good emotionally, mentally or physically. So why do we do it at all? More importantly, how can we stop?

Some scientists theorize that worrying may actually keep us safe. For example, if I’m concerned about being in a car accident, that worry will probably get me to put my seat belt on, which is a good thing.

It’s nice to know that worrying actually suits a purpose, but I still would much rather do without such an excess of it.

In the article, “Seven Awesome Reasons to Be Present and How to Do It,” by Henrick Edberg, I read that being in the moment is an excellent way to stop worrying. When I am focused on what is happening right here and now, I don’t allow time for my brain to worry about what might happen or stress about what has already passed.

Edberg explains there are many ways to keep your mind in the present moment. You can focus on your breathing or even focus on the sights and sounds that are around you. Feeling the sun on your skin or listening to the birds singing can bring you into the present and keep you there. Being aware with your senses can draw you into the moment and away from your anxiety.

Another technique that works for me is prayer. I silently repeat a short prayer over and over until my anxiety goes away. My go-to mantra is, “God has got this.” It’s simple and easy and, most importantly, it works for me.

Sure, I’ve got work to do with controlling my worrying. It is a lifelong challenge for me to work on and find different techniques that help. There is also a comfort in knowing that my worrying is a human condition and I’m not alone. Even people in biblical times were sometimes worrying too much and turned to the scripture for guidance.

 

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

– Psalm 34:4

 

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.”

– Philippians 4:6

So, let’s work together to go out in this great wide world and live out our hopes and not our fears. Remember, God has got this.

Discerning the Questions

Tue, May 16, 2017 Published by

If human history is anything to go by, it’s quite conceivable that in these times, which are seemingly moving ever into the new and unknown ways of receiving and sharing information, we will eventually find ourselves rediscovering some of the things we thought we had left behind, so long as we continue to discern how to listen and learn with love.

A Place for the Tiger

Mon, March 13, 2017 Published by

While he was in prison, St. Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus because they were quarreling with one another.  They were allowing their lives to be ruled by anger.  Here’s what he said:

Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.   Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

Sometimes we feel we should never be angry, we should repress our true feelings. However, when we do that, our anger continues to simmer within us and ultimately festers or blows up and can be destructive.  Avoidance of conflict makes room for the devil.  Anger is a natural part of our emotional makeup as humans.  The scriptures record God becoming angry 375 times in the Old Testament and we know that Jesus got angry as well.  He was angry when the scribes and Pharisees were watching to see if He would heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day (Mark 3:5).  He was terribly and majestically angry when he made a whip and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. (John 2:13-17).

Paul gives specific and practical guidelines for dealing with anger.  He says, “Be angry!” emphasizing that anger itself is not a sin.  Then Paul adds do not let the sun go down on your anger. Plutarch tells us that the disciples of the philosopher Pythagoras, had a rule of their society, that if during the day, anger had made them speak insultingly to each other, before the sun set they shook hands and kissed each other, and were reconciled.  Sometimes we are called to be angry.  The world would have lost much without the blazing anger of William Wilberforce against the slave trade, and of Anthony Ashley Cooper, later named Lord known as the Great Reformer for his work to end the horrible conditions in which men, women and children worked in the 19th century.   If Martin Luther King had not been angry at racism, the civil rights movement might not have flourished. If Gandhi had not been angry at oppression, India’s independence might not have happened. Anger, channeled in a positive way, can be a catalyst for change.  The famous writer Dr. Samuel Johnson was once asked to temper the harshness and anger in a book he was about to publish.  His answer to that request was that “he would not cut off his claws, nor make his tiger a cat, to please anybody.”  There is a place for the tiger in life; and when the tiger becomes a tabby cat, something is lost.

 

Lead An Active Life

Mon, March 6, 2017 Published by

I was reading about inspirational living the other day and was drawn to an article by Dr. Art Hister, an award winning physician, educator and media personality from Vancouver.  Most seniors want to live longer, but even more important, they want to enjoy a good quality of life. We hear this a great deal as we tour prospective residents and their families around Beatitudes Campus.  It’s really those types of factors that make the difference – our fitness center and incredible training staff, our top flight Center for Life Long Learning and the host of other clubs and organizations in which residents can immerse themselves.

Dr. Hister tackles this issue directly and I’m sufficiently convinced we should listen since it appears that he has more than a bit of credibility.  He is currently a health analyst on The Morning News on Global TV in BC. He is also the author of two Canadian bestsellers, Midlife Man and Dr. Art Hister’s Guide to a Longer and Healthier Life, as well as numerous articles for publications such as Reader’s Digest, The Globe and Mail, and The Medical Post.

“Quality of life is really important,” says Dr. Art. “I want to enjoy the rest of my years, especially with my grandchildren. I want to walk on the beach with them, not have to sit waiting for them to visit me.”

“The single most important thing you can do,” he advises, “is to be more active. Just keep going. The more active you are, the better. There is less chance for your body to deteriorate. Being mobile and active is more important than diet or other factors.” Dr. Art doesn’t like to use the word “exercise” preferring to say “keep moving, keep active.”

“Furthermore, it’s easy. There’s nothing to prevent you; simply make up your mind to be more active. Sadly, our culture does not encourage us to do exercise, quite the opposite.” One only has to look at the parking lots, cars, elevators, and escalators all around us to see that Dr. Art is right.

“Numerous studies have shown that when previously sedentary people become more active, their health improves,” he says. He describes how living a healthier life has several almost immediate benefits including sleeping better, having more energy, having lower stress, and suffering less anxiety. Long-term benefits include living longer, being happier, and reducing the negative effects of chronic diseases. That last benefit is particularly significant, isn’t it?

He also emphasizes you’re never too old to change your habits. Studies show that even 80-year olds benefit from becoming more active and embracing these recommendations.  A resident told me recently that he had never really embraced fitness or involvement in a number of social activities, but that in giving it a try, he was astounded at how much improvement in life in general was being experienced.  This was actually in a conversation which involved his daughter and she chimed in rather immediately, stating rather amusedly that she wasn’t exactly sure who these folks were posing as her parents.  “I pretty much have to book an appointment with them—always on the go and more social than I ever knew them to be.  I keep telling the story to my friends for their folks.”

I am always thrilled to hear reports like these.  In fact, we are always anxious to have our family members share the Beatitudes Campus story.  Did you know that the Friends and Family Referral Program also extends to sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or cousins that recommend a prospect to the campus?  We will be hosting two informational sessions later this month to explain how your family member can earn just like our residents by referring qualified prospects to the campus.  Rewards are paid out after three months for those successful placements.  Be sure to let your family know – we will announce the times and place in the Roadrunner soon.

In the meantime, we remain as excited as ever to continue the progress on campus.  These are exciting times!

The Stories Of Our Faith

Tue, January 17, 2017 Published by

Researchers at universities in Durham, UK, and Lisbon, Portugal, recently suggested that the origins of the stories of Beauty and the Beast and Rumpelstiltskin stretch back four thousand years. When the Brothers Grimm began to compile such fairy tales in the nineteenth century, their project fostered a unity between the various German speaking states. The notion that deep in the woods was a boundless store of common stories affirmed the emerging identity of what became a united German people.

That’s how a bunch of stories combine to form a powerful narrative. When the people of Judah found themselves in exile in Babylon, they looked deep into their collective soul to discover how they’d come to be there. They looked at their collection of chronicles; of how God created the world, called a people, saved them from famine and slavery, made a covenant with them, and gave them land, king, and temple, before things then went astray.

But then, as with the Brothers Grimm, came the crucial moment: the exiled people of Judah looked at those accounts together and witnessed a faith which taught that God would save them as before, and that, most remarkably of all, they were as close to God in exile as they had been in the Promised Land. When the early Christians compiled the New Testament seven centuries later, they discovered the same truth, that God had found a way to save them again and they came to see Christ’s suffering, not as God’s abandonment, but as the closest humanity had ever come to God’s heart.

When I say I’m a Christian, I’m naming the story of which I believe I’m a part, and in which I find meaning, truth and purpose. I don’t pretend to believe that everyone shares my convictions. I’m not too interested in people telling me what they don’t believe, but rather in what they do believe – what story they feel a part of, and most importantly, how that story converges to clarify their identity and purpose.

Story turns to faith when people believe that God has entered their story. Faith turns to life when people say, ‘There’s a part for me in that story too.’

Set Intentions, Not Resolutions

Tue, January 10, 2017 Published by

One of the last minute gifts I gave to our daughter Maddie this year is a bracelet with one word on it.  I was attracted to this website the week before Christmas because Chris Pan, founder of MyIntent.org, is asking the world “What’s Your WORD?”  His mission is to be a catalyst for meaningful conversations and positive energy. Your WORD is something you want to have more of in your life or a challenge you want to overcome.  He says: “We believe there is purpose inside each of us and we want our efforts to encourage people to share more truth and inspiration with each other.  We are not a jewelry company – we are an intentions project. When you choose your word it is hand-stamped into a wearable bracelet or necklace as a daily reminder and conversation starter. Ok, I know this could easily be a gimmick, but the thing is I asked Maddie “What’s your WORD? and she said, “THRIVE.”  I asked “Why thrive?” and she said that she wants to thrive and not just survive.  That was a catalyst for a conversation and information about my daughter that I wouldn’t have known otherwise.  The WORD that I chose is “JOY” because it is meaningful in my life and my faith and has deep connections to my father who died years ago.  I asked my husband what his WORD was and he said he didn’t want a bracelet.  Ok, it’s not for everyone.  I am inspired to think of my WORD as my intention, not my resolution, as I go into this New Year.  One of the makers of the My Intent project posted this:  “Guess what, you are perfectly imperfect just the way you are and there is nothing “wrong” with you, nothing that needs fixing…what you can do is love yourself a little more a little deeper.  Surround yourself with people who inspire you and push yourself to be an expanded version of who you already are.  Do things that set your soul on fire and fill your heart with love.  Expand your mind, experience new things, connect on a deeper level with those around you.  So instead of creating a “resolution” or asking yourself what needs “fixing”….set an intention for what you are CREATING in the world and who you are committed to BEING.  Find what makes your light shine and do more of that. Shine brighter in the new year.”  May it be so.  What’s your WORD?