The Wonder of Aging

Book excerpt: Bestselling author and renowned family counselor Michael Gurian teaches you how to embrace aging and life after fifty through this spiritual and comprehensive guide. The topic of aging after fifty is frequently only discussed in terms of health—what are the physical symptoms that come with advanced age, and what can we do about them? The Wonder of Aging, however, aims to look at aging in a new way—as something that is positive, showing how miraculous our second half of life can be. Gurian divides life after fifty into four stages: Stage 1: The Age of Transformation. This is the stage of life from the late forties to approximately sixty. Stage 2: The Age of Distinction. This stage of life lasts from approximately sixty to seventy-five. Stage 3: The Age of Completion. This stage involves completing our life-journey, both together (if we are still coupled) and alone, if our spouse has passed on or if we are divorced. He developed these stages in response to both scientific and anthropological information, and in response to the needs of his clients, who sought help in understanding where they were and what to expect in the second half of life. With updated research and anecdotes to help you discover a new paradigm for aging, you can understand how aging affects you physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually, and how to celebrate these changes holistically and healthfully.