Categories
- Body (26)
- caregiving (23)
- Culture (45)
- Death (22)
- Psyche (116)
- Relationships (56)
- Resources (11)
- Spirit (59)
- Uncategorized (9)
-
Recent Posts
Archives
- December 2020
- November 2020
- September 2020
- May 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- April 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
Author Archives: Bob Ritzema
Playing Pool While Old
“Ya got trouble folks,” sang Professor Harold Hill, the con man in The Music Man, “Right here in River City Trouble with a capital ‘T’ And that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for pool!” Professor Hill convinces the town … Continue reading
The Christian Communist
I’ve been writing recently about stuff–our tendency to acquire too many things, our difficulty letting go, our need to simplify as we get older. Recently I ran across a quote on possessions and spirituality by Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Spirit
Tagged Christianity, communism, faith, possessions, purpose, Simone Weil, Thomas Merton
Leave a comment
When Fraility Arrives
Recently, David Sedaris wrote an article about his family, in particular his elderly father, who fell on the eve of his 95th birthday party. When family arrived he fell again and was disoriented, so he was admitted to a rehab … Continue reading
Posted in caregiving, Relationships
Tagged aging, caregiving, elderly, health, older adults, parents
Leave a comment
The Changed Lines of Generational Power
I have been reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, who is a surgeon, a staff writer for the New Yorker, and a Harvard Professor. He’s a busy guy! His book explores how medical advances have changed aging and death, not … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Psyche, Relationships
Tagged adulthood, aging, Atul Gawande, elderly parents, older adults, seniors
Leave a comment
Save the World? Don’t Look at Me!
Earlier this year I read Assimilate or Go Home: Notes From a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith (San Francisco: Harper One, 2016) by D.L. Mayfield. Mayfield is a young woman of faith who spent much of her early adulthood volunteering … Continue reading
Posted in caregiving, Spirit
Tagged Christianity, D.L. Mayfield, faith, justice, ministry, mission
4 Comments
Cold Comfort at the Church of the Dancing Girl
I have mixed feelings about attending unfamiliar churches. On the one hand, it’s interesting to see the worship practices of various faith communities and meaningful to join with them in the majestic, never-ending stream of praise that, if the book … Continue reading
Posted in Relationships, Spirit
Tagged Christianity, church, compassion, encounters, illness, older adults, winter colds
Leave a comment
Another Grandparent’s Day
Three years ago I wrote a post about visiting my grandkids’ school for Grandparents Day. Last week I went to Grandparents Day again; had gone last year as well, though I didn’t post anything about it on WordPress. I have … Continue reading
Living in an Age of Accumulation
George Carlin may be right about a house being a place to keep our stuff, but, nowadays, we’re less inclined to leave home in order to get more stuff. That’s because more stuff regularly appears magically on our doorsteps while … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Psyche
Tagged consumerism, decluttering, faith, materialsim, older adults, simplification
Leave a comment
The Seven Deadly Sins for Seniors: Lust
I’ve been writing about the seven deadly sins, using as my basis the book Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and their Remedies by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung. I’m especially interested in how these harmful habits manifest … Continue reading
Posted in Psyche, Spirit
Tagged aging, capital vices, faith, lust, older adults, pornography, Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung
Leave a comment
