{"id":551,"date":"2017-02-17T16:19:42","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T16:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blakeford.com\/?p=551"},"modified":"2023-10-26T10:04:51","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T14:04:51","slug":"spirituality-aging-finding-your-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blakeford.com\/spirituality-aging-finding-your-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirituality & Aging: Finding Your Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"

What do you want to be when you grow up?\u00a0 This is a common conversation starter with children. The conversations that follow are often filled with excited possibilities. The answers reveal a lot about our interests, dreams, passions or sense of calling. What I love about children is that the possibilities seem as endless to them as their youth. We could learn a lot from children. There is purpose in any season of life that can also be filled with seemingly endless possibilities. Every adult was once a child who grew up. Yet our sense of purpose continues to grow and develop throughout our lives, regardless of our age. What we should be asking kids of all ages is, \u201cwhat are you going to do with the rest of your life? \u201c<\/p>\n

As we discussed in\u00a0last week\u2019s post<\/a>, our spirituality informs how we relate to our self and others. Our spirituality plays an integral role in the choices and actions that give us a sense of meaning and purpose.<\/p>\n

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Nurturing a Growing a Sense of Purpose<\/h2>\n

You might find purpose in how you relate to yourself and your identity in relation to the God of your understanding. For example, the belief that we were created by a benevolent god who loves us, and desires that we be in relationship with God and with one another, is a powerful one for many traditions. Even if our higher power is seen in nature, it still casts us as part of a greater whole. This sense of being part of something greater than self can give hope for purposeful living at any age. As another example, your spirituality may hold that God has a purpose for you being here. You stay connected to God through religious rites and rituals, such as prayer or meditation, or feeling connected through the natural world around you<\/p>\n

Finding purpose through connection with others is another means spirituality informs our sense of purpose. One might find purpose through joining with others doing things. Examples include:<\/p>\n