..the consequence of being old.

While I was walking along the corridor, I saw this 89 year old woman seemed to be confused and not knowing where to go. She asked me, "what time is the dinner?" I responded, "it is at 5.00 pm." "uh..uh..I am late this is the consequence of being an old person." She immediately walked very fast to get to the dinner hall.

The interesting point that I would like to ponder is: her lateness and her age, she put that together! How is it?

Vision of Peace

Our Eyes give us vision, nonetheless it is up to us to use our eyes for a good purpose in life. No matter how young and old we are, we are all looking forward for "Vision of Peace." Let us humbly continue to nurture our own faith with the help of God.

Music & Lyrics by Rev. Peter Abas, LSL., Ed.D

Specially dedicated to elderly individuals' care-givers.

Composed 02/02/92 (Assisi, Italy)

VISION OF PEACE
G AM
Father most holy
C G
With a humble heart, we serve you
EM D G
And like your Son.
G AM
Grant that we may live
C G
In abandonment to your will
EM D G
Dedicated totally to You.

Bridge: C D
May your spirit
BM G
Keep us faithful to your call
C D
Living in your spirit
G
And be united
AM D G
In the sacrifice of your beloved Son.

Chorus:
C
So that one day
D G
We may be before the throne
AM D
Where the lamb is seated,
G G7
People of God…
C G D
Holy city, a vision of peace, vision of peace,
D G G7 G D G
vision of peace eternal life. (2X) So that… eternal life.

Diversity + Unity = Harmony

AGING GRACEFULLY (2005 SAR Group)

An opportunity to express emotions in a safe and supportive environment.

Abas said. "Drums help people to reminisce their feelings and relieve stress."

Being alone can be like a stump of a tree.

Being alone can be like a stump of a tree. "Loneliness is similar to a tree that was cut down and only the huge stump was left behind." A 90 year old woman put this in a sentence, when I asked her of how she describes and interprets of being alone.

Yes, have we ever reflect in-depth what does the stump of a tree can mean to us?

...profound thought!

A 78 year old woman shared her insight with me this morning. She said, "we are all aging and it up to us to accept the process of aging positively." She further explained, "well, we have all the technologies to help us to make our skin look better, our hairs to remain the same color and even to prolong our longevity. Nonetheless, we do not know what is happening in a person, is she/he really happy and appreciative of being old?

Postive ways of looking at aging!

http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/us/ageismprob.htm
Excerpt Elderly face bias, stereotyping
By Vesna JaksicGreenwich Time, May 25, 2003

"Dr. Stephen Jones, director of Greenwich Hospital's Center for Healthy Aging, said many people misinterpret the meaning of aging."I think everyone associates aging with decline, that it's always a loss," he said. "And in some respects it is. That's the nature of life. People lose friends, relatives, they are not as active. But that doesn't mean their lives don't have a meaning. As we get older we can actually improve in other aspects. We become (more) knowledgeable, better read, better educated."

...respecting and accepting other is a blessing...

"It is very hard for me to accept when you mentioned the word humility." She further described, "I become tense when I heard the word humility." I am very thankful to this person who openly disclosed her own inner feeling. I cannot know about her situation if she does not inform me about it.

Lsitening from your heart, this is a challenge for each one of us. How do we relate to each other, especially to those who are not like us? By sacred listening, we can learn to be more present with each other.

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow is a mystery

Today is a gift.

That is why we call it the present.

- Author Unknown.

"No I don't want to."

The journey of life is not always smooth sailing. Look at this jungle path, it is very rough and dirty but if a person is determined to walk, he or she will be successful in reaching to the destination.

Each person's mood will change without any warning. Hearing and seeing this elderly woman (in her 80s) she raised up her voice to the others. She said, "No I don't want to." This incident taught me a wonderful lesson of how a person's mood can changed without any warning.

I paused for a moment when I heard her "high and upset" voice and told the care-giver to give way to her. Immediately the ambience of the place was peaceful again. We really need the humility of heart in order to be caring and loving toward the elderly individuals.

An elderly needs spiritual direction...

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION:
It is an ancient Christian discipline. It is essentially a relationship between two persons, a seeker and a teacher or guide, which aims to help the seekers grow in awarness of God's grace i everyday life, both in ordinary events and in specific difficulties.


Even as an elderly person, he/she still can seek for help in spiritual direction.

Who would benefit from spiritual direction?
A. Elderly Individuals who want to deepen their relationship with God.
B. Elderly Individuals who seek a language to express their experience of God.
C. Elderly Individuals who want to deepen their prayer life.
D. Elderly Individuals who are asking some of the following questions:
1. How is God working in my life?
2. What is God calling me to be?
3. How is my relationship with God?

"As the deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God." Psalm 2.1