Description:
If we are to live to our final days with a sense of completion and peace, rather than regret and guilt, we must prepare for old age during our middle age, according to author Sallirae Henderson. As an ordained minister and psychological counselor, Henderson spent the last two decades working with dying people. Over time she noticed that some elders relied upon internal strength and contentment in order to cope with their final hours. Some, however, dwelled in "unresolved despair, rage, and general misery." What made the difference? "It became alarmingly clear to me that what I choose now in middle age will have a direct bearing on the emotional and spiritual quality of my last years," Henderson writes, "...and whether I will die a complete human being or an unfinished one." With that thought in mind, Henderson decided to offer a guidebook for readers in their 40s and 50s, helping them prepare for old age. In the section on "Emotional Preparation," Henderson covers concepts such as "Befriending Yourself," "Learning to Grieve," and coping with Alzheimer's Disease. In "Spiritual Preparation," the author writes about "Evolving Toward True North" and "Finding a Larger Context for Your Life." Her numerous real-life anecdotes and clear writing style make this a highly persuasive and useful companion. Readers can expect an enormous long-term payoff. In fact, this book probably ensures more peace and security than any retirement account or retirement-home waiting list ever could. --Gail Hudson
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