“Books and Websites That Help” by Patricia Cavanaugh

Susan Moon has written a short, 176 pages, and deceptively simple book called “This is Getting Old” about the challenges and the gifts of aging from a Zen prospective.

At first, I found myself under-whelmed by her writing but I stayed with her and found myself drawn in by her simple and honest sharing of the ordinary daily events that confront us as we age. 

Susan writes poignantly about her relationship with her mother. We see how her point of view changes as she begins to enter her own aging process.  She also speaks about the challenges of living alone as we age.  I am in that stage along with several of my friends.  We talk about “aging in place” as the folks at Ashby Village have opted to do.  You can find out more about them at http://www.ashbyvillage.org/Site/Welcome.html . 

My single friends and I also talk about finding a companion and how challenging it can be in the age of on line dating.  A new Oakland based business has just opened it’s doors is a resource to meet this very need. It is a high touch matchmaking business based on meeting with others, who are 40+, over a period of several weeks while engaged in non-profit service activities.  You can find them at  http://www.matchesthatmatter.com.   

Susan addresses the difficulties she encounters such as no longer being able to meditate on the floor for long periods of time.  She found new ways to find that quiet contemplative place where she feels at last alone and connected at the same time. Trusting herself enough to take a break from her devotional practice for several weeks, she thrusts herself deep into the woods alone with only her sister’s dog as a companion and there faces her demons of depression and loneliness.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of her book in our 3rd Act bookstore.  

Let us know what you think.