Realities of Aging, Part One
This week, Dan invites his good friend and former president of the Seattle School Dr. Keith Anderson to discuss the realities of aging. Dan and Keith talk about the importance of living into deep questions, fostering curiosity, and practicing listening throughout all seasons of life.
Dan asks Keith what he would hope that younger people grasp about the realities of aging.
Keith responds: Curiosity is not age sensitive or time sensitive. Rather it is a spiritual practice that can go with us from our younger years long into our later years. That discipline of listening well, asking good questions, and paying attention, is the one thing that is necessary.
Keith adds that one of the most precious and important parts of life is an emphasis on relationships.
Dan reads a portion of an email Keith wrote in response to the question about aging:
“What can I tell others about aging? Well, I can say that at 70, I find that I care less and that I care more. I care less about things that now seem to be distractions. I care less about satisfying others whose opinions so often shaped my decisions over my lifetime—bosses, boards, parents, siblings, or friends. I care less about being busy (read: business) and less about justifying how I spend my time. I care more about pace, rest, deep thinking, imponderable questions, paying attention to this moment, and the preciousness of time with those I love.”
Resources:
- Keith mentions Eugene Peterson’s book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.
- Dan discusses the main character in the book, The Spectator Bird