Tag Archives: self

The Seven Deadly Sins for Seniors: Sloth

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Bob Ritzema

This is the third post in a series about the seven deadly sins.  I have been reading and discussing with a church men’s group a book on the topic, Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their … Continue reading →

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True Solitude

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

In his book New Seeds of Contemplation, Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote of the spiritual benefits of solitude. He notes, though, that not everything that looks like solitude is genuine: “There is not true solitude except interior solitude.” Just getting … Continue reading →

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The Older I Get, The More Versions Of Me There Are

Posted on August 8, 2017 by Bob Ritzema

Rachel McAlpine, who blogs at Write Into Life, recently posted about the challenge of adjusting her identity as she ages. She writes, “I’ve been searching for an inherent personal coherence, consonance, or harmony. But this is not straightforward, because right … Continue reading →

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“45 Years” and Past Selves

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

I caught a showing of the movie 45 Years over the weekend.  A couple–Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and Geoff (Tom Courtenay)–are preparing to celebrate 45 years of marriage when a letter related to Geoff’s past threatens to derail their relationship. The letter … Continue reading →

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Reinvention or Renewal

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

I read quite a few blog posts having to do with older adulthood.  Several months ago, I started noticing that, among posts giving advice about how to age successfully, one frequent theme was self-reinvention.  Such advice is often given to … Continue reading →

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Spiritual and Emotional Maturity: Interview

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

I previously posted the first part of a conversation with Lisa C., a mental health professional who recently took a new position as a clinical services director at a psychiatric hospital.  The position was quite different from what she had been … Continue reading →

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“Wish I’d Had the Courage to Live a Life True to Myself”

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Bronnie Ware, a nurse who for years gave palliative care for terminally ill adults, has described the top five regrets that her patients expressed.  I wrote earlier about the regrets of older adults, so I was interested in the items on … Continue reading →

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