When It’s Old Age

MON., FEB. 5, 1990, 6:29 AM
FARM, STUDY

Old age is the last active stage of earth life. Unfortunately there may be, for some, a stage of severe disability, mental dysfunction, or coma that precedes death, which is, practically, beyond old age. You are moving into this last phase of activity, even as you have no plans for retirement from your work. For those who reach it and live in it for a time it is an important stage of this earth experience. Hear, o son, as I, the Holy Spirit, offer you words of wisdom on this theme.

When it’s old age you will be losing capacities to function as you have been. This shall be disconcerting, even as you are prepared for losses. I urge you to approach such losses in a truly ambivalent way. That is, strive to prevent and counter a loss… to maintain your functioning with greater effort. At the same time, accept losses that are inevitable and either compensate for them or just accept them as evidence that you still are enjoying life. I urge you to enjoy this balancing as much as possible.

These losses will be disconcerting, for you have been active and rather fully functional. Just heed the advice I offer: strive… compensate… accept. Loss is a price for continued life. Don’t give up easily, but also don’t deny the reality of changes. Go both “ungently” and gently into this good stage of life. For it can be a time of spiritual growth.

I encourage you to make conscious choices about changes in your life. If it is time to admit a loss or a weakness, do so and then organize your life in some slightly different way. It is time to try your hearing aid again, with more effort toward adapting to it rather than quickly seeing its short-comings. It still may not be good for you, but give it another try.

I recognize your lack or loss of motivation to seek publication, and this is an expected loss, but I still shall press you to complete and produce the papers that I have urged on your before. You still have important ideas to present to your profession, and you should not retire from writing before these contributions are made. It might be helpful if you do set some realistic, tangible goals for this year and try to accomplish accordingly.

Physically you still are able to do what you need to and want to do. You anticipate some losses over the next years, but I encourage you to stay as active as you are now, and even extend your walking. The plan to walk to your soon-to-be new office is a good one. Your physical functions will last longer if you stay active. You shall know when it is time to leave the Farm. That time is… not yet.

The most important assertion about old age is that it is a fine time for spiritual progress. See it as natural that as certain physical and mental functions diminish, your spirit may become more obvious in its function. Keep in mind that you are progressing toward a loss of physical capacities and of what the mind must do in earth life. You shall not be losing consciousness and your spirit can be developing to fill the void of losses.

This does not happen with all older people, but it can happen if you are aware and guide toward it. In this perspective death is merely a time when spirit and its consciousness become truly dominant, as body and mind are simply “dropped.” If you see it this way and anticipate it death can be a lovely transition, particularly if old age has brought much loss and pain.

So, increasingly be concerned about spiritual rather than temporal matters. Be little concerned about the politics of your work setting. Your best contribution will be in just being yourself, in a spiritual sense. See what you do more in spiritual than in intellectual terms. I have encouraged you to see that this is just another aspect of being professional. You shall continue to be professional, but in more spiritual ways. Avoid responsibilities that shall take you away from tasks that you have unique capacities to accomplish. Be sure that your spirit is increasingly active in decision-making.