There is a line that stayed with me from one of Steven Spielberg’s more recent Indiana Jones films. Amid a discussion of loss and grief, one of the main characters in the film states, “We seemed to have reached the age where life stops giving us things and starts taking them away.”
A poignant message, I thought, not just for the aging archaeologist and his dusty fedora, but for all those who find themselves in the late chapters of their lives. With every turn of the page, one might wonder whether any experience of worth is coming upon the next. When the weight of one’s life story feels heavier in the left hand, it becomes impossible to ignore the reality of a thinning book on the right. In those moments of realization, I sincerely hope you can with confidence say, “this was a life well lived,” but I also hope with equal measure you understand that you are still living, and there is still time.
I have been serving seniors for two decades now and have met with many families trying to navigate loss, whether it be the loss of a spouse, of independence or of purpose. There is emptiness and despair that can take hold when that which you’ve always held is suddenly gone. There is a truth here: Life starts taking things away.
The smile of a loved one you were able to look upon each morning may only be seen now in photographs or in dreams. The cherished home of 50 years where your family was grown, holiday plates were passed and storms were weathered; those hallways may now be revisited only in memory. Those once strong and able hands or feet made for dancing may find it hard to grasp a tool or keep a beat. Yes, we can accept these realities, but this is also where we must push back against the quote I cited above. Life may take things, but I refuse to believe that life stops giving us things. Not while there is still time.
It may not be easy at first, but to accept what life now has to offer, we must be open to change. We must be open to the idea that although things are different, it does not mean that they cannot also be good. Life is still trying to give, but to allow it to, we must shift our perspective. Your children may be raised but adjust your gaze and see that there are others who need your wisdom now. You may not travel as you once did, but there are friends who wish to hear of the breathtaking sights you’ve witnessed in your youth. There was a time in your life when you searched for purpose, and it was found. I promise it can happen again. Envelop yourself in the community. Seek out fellowship and friendship. Read your story aloud, under the brightest of lights, for all to hear, and allow those who surround you to become a part of it. Live now, there is still time.
Chelsea Senior Living is dedicated to providing seniors with quality care, a safe and secure home, and best-in-class service. Our mission is to support and stabilize the needs of seniors while respecting both their independence and integrity.
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