Spiritual Aging March Roundtable
SASS: Fulfilling the Promise
Dear Tribe of Kindred Old Souls,
We’ve got another season of spiritual growth under our belts and despite our unexpectedly harsh winter, what was once a dream and a promise is being fulfilled. Our original band of 100 has coalesced into a vital cohort of like-hearted and like-minded members and our newcomers meld in seamlessly.
We are purposely small in number and self-selecting, so every member is important. Some of us proactively engage with every study guide—reflecting on our own or in-person groups. Others read or comment when they feel moved, and these spontaneous interactions keep the flow vital and the conversation deep. Then there are those who can be counted upon regularly to give a thumb’s up or a virtual hug and generally make every one of us—including me—feel heard week after week.
To kick off this month’s Roundtable, I thought it would be helpful for newcomers who may have missed our roll calls when we originally introduced ourselves to one another to put a story to the name when one of our regulars shows up for you and visa versa.
Thanks to each one of you, however you choose to support, participate or lead. Please take this opportunity in the comments below to introduce yourself to the group, refresh our memory or update your intro. And as always, use this monthly members forum to share whatever is in your heart or on your mind.
STEVEN KATZ
I was appointed by the mayor of Lexington, KY to serve on the city’s Senior Services Commission and am a member of that commission’s associated housing-related committee, Reimagining Home, which is primarily concerned with the gamut of aging-in-place options. Currently we are focused on developing the Villages movement in our community and have helped a local non-profit gain some city funding towards that end. A Caring Place is a non-sectarian faith-based organization whose mission is to combat social isolation. I am on their task force to build a “hub and spoke” model that would serve older adults across Lexington. https://www.agefriendlylexington.com/housing
RUTH MCQUIRTER
I have benefited so much from Carol’s writing, her honest and penetrating insights, and the community she has fostered who care about making this phase of their lives meaningful. So often a phrase from one of Carol’s blog posts or a shared comment from a member of the online support group have popped into my mind as I navigate the joys and challenges of being in my seventies.
My life changed after encountering J. Alfred Prufrock in my twelfth grade English class. Eliot’s character laments as he looks back on his life, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” I determined in that moment that I would devote my days to asking the deeper questions. This drive permeated my career as an educator, parent, friend, and social justice advocate. I am so grateful at age 75 to have found through Carol’s writing and online groups a community of older people who continue to ask the “overwhelming questions.”
-- Professor at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
MARY ROSE MARRIN
- I am a Sister of St Joseph of Toronto, an elder, still fairly active.
- I have spent the past 20 years working with senior adults in faith communities.
- The focus of this ministry has been spiritual development.
- I have followed the work of Carol Orsborn and have confidence in what she has to offer.
- I wish to participate in this program for personal benefit and also to share with my community.
GLEN DUNBAR
I am on a journey to understand the purpose and meaning of Aging, my own in particular. I have held roles as a social gerontologist, a health and human services policy specialist, a father, and an educator. I attempt to apply the principles of active aging to my personal life.
I have a life-long addiction to learning and volunteer service. I have an MPA from the Center for Studies in Aging at the University of North Texas, a PgD in End-of-Life Studies from the University of Glasgow, and more certification in managing health and chronic conditions than I care to remember. My passions are promoting end-of-life planning and understanding the inner world of a person with dementia. I look forward to getting to know you.
FONDA LEWIS
I’m 75 years old/young!
My passions are my children, grandchildren, and profession. Being a mom and grandma has given me a true sense of purpose,
unmeasurable joy, love and pride.
Becoming a psychotherapist, at 62, has given me the gift of being able to make a positive difference in other people’s lives.
I love to swim, scuba dive, cook, garden, and travel.
My mantra is to never stop changing until I’m dead, and then I won’t be done!
I have 74 years of life behind me. I am a retired MD/psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences with a lifelong passion for cross-cultural spirituality and wholeness. I began my healing practice in Family Medicine for 18 years before returning to residency training in psychiatry at mid-life.
I have pursued additional training in Jungian psychiatry and am a certified professional teacher of the Enneagram. I have a small coaching practice primarily working with physicians and other health care professionals. I am focused on mind-body-spirit integration, union with the divine, and have been a prayer chaplain with a local Unity (new thought) Church.
I am a father and grandfather of
adult children on the opposite coast. My wife and I have been coping with health problems the past 18 months seeking to understand, accept, and find our way forward as aging elders. Since the pandemic, I have tended to be more isolated, and recognize my need to reach out to stay connected with friends and community.