This is not a well formed article – just some notes from last weekend. Might as well put them here as anywhere. Met with a small group of elder women friends, my peers, to talk about this, and these are some highlights for me.

Difference between an elder and an old person?
– implication is that of usefulness to your community
– you are now a resource of a particular kind
– some kinds: – service, time, inspiration, example, role model
– benefits of maturity – longer view (and fewer hormones!)
– perspective – we’ve seen a few things – wisdom of experience
– certain kind of slack now that we are not raising children or have a compelling schedule

From someone else (a book?):
4 powers of the elder:
– blessing
– forgiving
– witnessing
– healing

If this is true – serving – what do you need in order to best serve?
– access to your creativity (means to your emotions – fear, grief, anger, joy)
– enough money for basic needs, food, shelter, health care
– peers and cohorts

Our fears around aging are sign posts telling us where to look so we can get our basic needs met so that we can serve better.

This question seemed to me to be the crux of it – what do you need in order to best serve – to make the best use of your talents and resources? – a question for anyone. Perhaps a blog for another day.