Ageing with Grace

"People don't grow old. When they stop growing, they become old" (Anonymous)

The group met weekly on Thursday afternoons from October to early December, and then had a final meeting on February 1^st. Although some weeks there were more people attending, most weeks was a core group of five. Participants were able to share their experiences and bring their concerns to the group. Among the topics covered during one or several meetings were:

Health matters
Our changing role in society
Our role in the Church
Spirituality in older age
Transitions, dealing with life changes, letting go
Women in English Literature writing about the third age (guest presenter)
Loneliness and support in the community
Being prepared for death, acceptance, funerals and faith

We enjoyed our meetings and valued the opportunity to get to know each other. The importance of the Team Ministry and our Anglican Community in Richmond came through very strongly. None of us actually fear death itself although there is some apprehension about the type of death one will have. Broadly speaking, we felt that ageing with grace implied an acceptance of one's changing role in society whilst still maintaining a strong, positive presence in that society.

Janet Williams
Richmond
February 3^rd, 2007

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