ABOUT THE BOOK

We often associate aging with loss – loss of health, loss of independence, loss of control over our circumstances. And at the back of our minds, of course, is the big loss, the eventual loss of our very life.

These are all normal reactions. But, ask the authors of The Gift of Life, who have worked with the aging and dying over a lifetime, what if aging – done thoughtfully and well – can actually present us with a unique opportunity to gain? What if our older years could be a special stretch of time that brings us enhanced meaning, authenticity and joy? What if aging and facing death can actually empower us to affirm life?

In The Gift of Life, the authors walk us through the steps that make aging well a reality. Aging well is a journey, they tell us, and the steps on this journey are part practical and part emotional, even spiritual. The practical steps include taking the best care of yourself you can (whatever health challenges you may have), making the medical decisions now that will give you the most control over what happens in the future, and choosing the living arrangements and care options that are the right fit for you. On the emotional and spiritual side, the authors help you to embrace aging and show you how to enjoy its special benefits, introduce you to wisdom on aging from the world’s various religious traditions, and help you to focus on the precious relationships in your life: now is the time to appreciate and deepen them.

Most of us alive now will live more years than previous generations – so the “later years” will last a long time. The Gift of Life offers a path to follow in these later years and the wisdom to live to the fullest degree possible.