The promise and peril of finite forever: the paradox of ageing
Learning to live with frailty and finitude is both a lifelong agenda and particular to the wisdom of ageing. The desire for long life, therefore, must include a recognition that forever is finite. Being finite, as the term is used here, is the condition of being limited that defines humanness. Facin...
| Published in: | Journal of religion, spirituality & aging |
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| Authors: | ; |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge
[2019]
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| In: |
Journal of religion, spirituality & aging
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Aging
/ Life
/ Finiteness
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| RelBib Classification: | AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism VA Philosophy ZA Social sciences |
| Further subjects: | B
Paradox
B Generosity B Agency B Mortality B long life B Interdependence B loss and grief B being surprised B Wisdom B Finitude B Incompleteness B long-life discipleship B Dependence B living with limits B Death B Frailty B Mystery B active ageing |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | Learning to live with frailty and finitude is both a lifelong agenda and particular to the wisdom of ageing. The desire for long life, therefore, must include a recognition that forever is finite. Being finite, as the term is used here, is the condition of being limited that defines humanness. Facing finitude includes an awareness of mortality, frailty, and death. This essay explores the benefits of accepting both dependence and interdependence, agency and waiting, and receiving and giving ourselves in self-forgetful ways. The whole of life, including growing old, is gift to be received with gratitude and worked on with courage. The wisdom of growing older begins with accepting the inevitability of ageing without becoming 'old'. Facing limits does not diminish curiosity or the desire to learn or make new friends. And if we listen, ageing persons will teach us how to accept this gift of years with all its ambiguity and paradox and pass it on. We hold this paradoxical wisdom of ageing only long enough to give it away. |
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| ISSN: | 1552-8049 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of religion, spirituality & aging
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/15528030.2018.1476281 |