Tag Archives: God

Among the Stones (Far from the Madding Crowd)

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

It’s been a contemplative summer. I read a book on Centering Prayer, a contemplative form of Christian prayer, and have tried to incorporate aspects of it into my spiritual practice. I’ve been slowly working my way through New Seeds of … Continue reading →

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A Wineskin in the Smoke

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I had surgery a week ago. I had only undergone surgery under general anesthetic once before, an outpatient surgery about fifteen years ago. This time, I had a cancerous body part removed, meaning I was unconscious for longer than during … Continue reading →

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Thinking About Cancer: Metaphors

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

I’ve been blogging recently about cancer. This topic has been on my mind since I am about to have my cancerous prostate removed. One thing I have been reflecting on is culture’s dominant metaphor for dealing with life-threatening illness. I’m … Continue reading →

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“Sit In Your Cell As In Paradise”

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

I recently ran across the Brief Rule of the Camaldolese order, part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities. The first Camaldolese community was established by St. Romuald, an Italian monk, about a thousand years ago.  I was particularly struck … Continue reading →

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Lessons from a 93 Year Old

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

Carolyn at Beauty Beyond Bones recently wrote about an encounter with an old man at church. He arrived late, sat next to her, and created a fuss while trying to settle in and get caught up with the service. Carolyn … Continue reading →

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The Old Age Style

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Bob Ritzema

Some time ago I ran across an  article from 1972 on the style characteristic of elderly artists. The author, Kenneth Clark finds in their works several common features, which he identified as follows: “Now let me try to summarise the characteristics of the old-age style as they … Continue reading →

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Retirement Leisure vs. Sabbath Rest

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Bob Ritzema

I wrote a few months ago about leisure in retirement, suggesting that one benefit of leisure is to remind us that the value of human life isn’t measured solely by the yardstick of productivity. In this post, I will compare leisure with something else that involves … Continue reading →

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Grief and Spirituality After Midlife

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

In previous posts at Life Assays and Olderhood.com, I wrote about the cover story in the Atlantic that describes the “happiness U-curve,” the finding that happiness decreases in the decades of early adulthood, reaches a low in midlife, and increases … Continue reading →

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Roger Ebert, “Life Itself,” and Change

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

I recently saw Life Itself, the documentary about Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert’s life. The most remarkable thing about this film wasn’t any of Ebert’s achievements but his willingness to be filmed as he was dying of cancer. His … Continue reading →

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Why Belong to a Church Where Everyone Is Younger Than Me?

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

Why belong a church whose members are all younger than me, most by several decades? The first time I visited Square Inch Community Church, I thought, “Not only am I older than everyone here, my kids are older than most … Continue reading →

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