The Journey of Learning
by Carol Scott-KassnerA number of years ago my husband carved a beautiful quote from Michelangelo into a piece of marble that stands in the window above our desks. It says, "I am still learning." Every time we glance out of the window, we are reminded that learning is a journey and that, with continued curiosity and commitment, we will be learning until the end of our lives.
In my workshops on aging, I sometimes ask participants if they plan to "live until they die" or "die before they die." Virtually everyone says they want to live until they die. Interestingly, however, many of us unwittingly make the latter choice as we grow older. Recent statistics on aging suggest that 19% of retirees could be classified as empowered reinventors; 19% as carefree contents; 22% as uncertain searchers; and 40% as worried strugglers. Empowered reinventors plan for retirement, approach it with creativity and excitement and continually search for meaning. Carefree contents enjoy retirement but don't see it as a time of adventure or new challenges. They are seeking relaxation. Uncertain searchers are still trying to figure out what to do next and generally don't embrace new hobbies or activities. Worried strugglers have a difficult time with retirement and are often bored or sad. Few of them enjoy retirement.1
These definitions suggest that all but about 19% - 38% of retirees lose interest in learning new things or doing new things in this phase of their lives. They no longer "live" in the fullest sense of the world. They seem to be hanging around waiting to die. Those are daunting statistics that picture retirement as a bleak time for many.
It appears, however, that the choice to be "alive" in terms of continuing to learn and find excitement in life is a choice over which we have control. Dr. George Vailiant of Harvard University has done an extensive study of what it means to age well. It was published by Little, Brown (2002) in a book titled, Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development. One of his predictions in the study was that people who evidenced qualities of self-care and perseverance were more likely to continue their educations into retirement. Indeed, he found that people with more education or more commitment to continuing to learn believed that they could control their lives and therefore were in better overall health and level of fitness and were continuing to engage in life as active learners.2 Continuing to learn was one of several factors he found that contributed to a longer, healthier life.
If you are considering learning more, either formally or informally, here are some questions you might want to ask yourself first:
- What have I always wanted to understand or be able to do that I've never had a chance to learn?
- What do I already do that I want to learn more about or do at a higher level. [The renowned pianist, Vladimir Horowitz, said at the age of 89, "I think that I've finally learned how to play the piano!"]
- Of all of the things that I want to learn, what best matches the time, energy and financial resource levels I have at this time of my life?
- What are resources for formal learning? [community colleges, art institutes, universities, community centers, churches, on-line programs, teacher/mentor, health clubs, community bands/orchestras/choirs] What programs or opportunities have they created for seniors to enroll inexpensively?
- What are resources for informal learning? [public libraries, mentors, media, self-directed study, travel, exercise, garden clubs or other clubs around a specific interest]
- What can I learn from reflecting on my own life about the various times of joy and struggles in my life? What meaning can I find from reviewing my life to this point? What wisdom have I gained that I might share with others?
- What do I know how to do that I could teach someone younger to do? What do I want to pass on to my grandchildren or other loved ones? What might be learned from sharing my knowledge?
As you go about the process of deciding what is next for you in terms of your journey of learning, remember that engaging in some sort of artistic expression helps to stimulate your creativity and imagination and gives you a sense of renewal that is wonderful. It is spirit filling and meets important needs for self expression. Secondly, consider whether you prefer to learn alone or in community with others. Often as we age, we can become isolated. Choosing to learn with others can meet an important need that we have for connectedness. That is also spirit filling. Finally, consider learning forms of exercise such as yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi that help you to retain core strength and flexibility as you age. This will increase your energy and sense of balance and contribute to the quality of your life.
May this phase of your life be filled with the riches of new adventures and exciting vistas—of continued growth. May you both give and receive learning and may you tap into the deep source of wisdom that you have gained from living a long life and offer that wisdom to others.
Carol Scott-Kassner is co-founder of "Aging with Wisdom" with Pat Lewis. They offer regular workshops and courses on the spirituality of aging. Upcoming events can be found on their website: www.agingwithwisdom.org.
1Seattle Times, "Longer retirement: Count on it, plan for it", Sunday, August 12, 2006, F1-F6. Source, Age Wave and Ameriprise Financial.
2Walker, Lou Ann, "We Can Control How We Age", Parade Magazine, September 16, 2001, p. 4-5.
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