The Grace of the Later Years

In Quaker faith & practice we read:

Those of you who are kept by age or sickness from more active work, who are living retired lives, may in your very separation have the opportunity of liberating power for others. Your prayers and thoughts go out further than you think, and as you wait in patience and in communion with God, you may be made ministers of peace and healing and be kept young in soul.

London Yearly Meeting, 1923

[Opportunities for silence and prayer, a state of “freedom from creatures” as it was called by spiritual writers long ago, becomes more possible in retirement – probably even forced on us, in a way, in that we seem to no longer be needed by or in the world. With acceptance of this, our compensation is revealed: we come to see that we have enough – the beauties of nature, the simplicity of the day, a few friends and contacts – enough. What is required in a retired life is gratitude and the acceptance of our limitations. This will be worked out differently in each of our lives. Sickness, weakness from past injuries or just the usual progression of old age – whatever it is, we can trust: “All things work together for good, for those who love God”.

Just to stand in the world as a person who loves, and in some way, knows that God is, is a mystical service to the world - a kind of service that, while being beyond our own capacity to make it useful in any way - is completed and used by God. Then we are like a finger pointed at heaven. If something else is required, it will make itself known.

The quotes this week are mostly short and to the point. A word to the wise is sufficient. And in any case, no matter how many wise words you hear or read, when you die, it is not going to make 2 cents worth of difference what anyone else knows. You'd better know it yourself.]