A weekly collection of inspiration and resources for the journey, gathered from websites, books, and pass-alongs that have been shared with us. From The Wisdom Years – Spirituality for the Last Third of Our Lives.
There’s a thread you follow. It goes among
things that change. But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt
or die; and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.
— William Stafford
From Diana Butler Bass blog, April 26, 2021
Radical Joy For Hard Times
By Trebbe Johnson
From Daily Good
“When I receive a gift, I am conscious of both the gift and the giver. Gratitude suffuses me. This gratitude often transforms into a wish to give something back to my generous giver. We are conscious of this desire to give back when it comes to people who are givers. Places are givers, too. And we can give back to them. When we do, we become more courageous, more creative—and certainly more grateful!”
Religion After Pandemic
By Diana Butler Bass
“During a Freeing Jesus event hosted by a Seattle church, a man asked: ‘What do you think is going to happen with churches after the pandemic? How is Christianity going to be changed by this?’ The question startled me. I was focused on my new book and not talking about the future of faith. I quickly pivoted back to Jesus. And the questioner just as quickly pivoted back to ‘What’s going to happen after the pandemic?’
“I don’t know,” I replied. “Nobody knows.”
Our Struggle for Empathy and Generativity
By Ron Rolheiser
“In our normal, daily lives we are invariably so self-preoccupied that we find it difficult to be able to accord others the same reality and value we give to ourselves. In brief, it’s difficult for us to live in true empathy because we are forever consumed with our own heartaches and headaches. From two famous intellectuals, one speaking philosophically and the other psychologically, we get that same insight.”
Learning to Read Spiritual Signs
By Joanna Seibert
From Daily Something
As spiritual friends, we help each other see where God is working in our lives. We have friends helping us connect the dots, suggesting that a storm may be coming when we miss the signs. We are called to remember how God led us in our past. We have seen the signs in the past. When one of us cannot presently see the signs of God alive in our lives, those of us who can see help out each other.
Group Spiritual Direction Workshop
An e-course from Shalem Institute
Tuesday, June 1, 11:30 am – 5:30 pm EDST
Wednesday, June 2, 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm EDST
Thursday, June 3, 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm EDST
Via Zoom
For those who want to learn or deepen the practice of Group Spiritual Direction. Participants will immerse themselves in a virtual spiritual community as they experience Group Spiritual Direction and explore their own call to this ministry. Through live experiential learning, presentations, small GSD groups, and prayerful silence, participants will steep themselves in the contemplative grounding which is the heart of this ministry.
For more information and to register.
Practicing Spirituality at Home – 2021
An e-course from Spirituality and Practice
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Sunday, May 2 – Thursday, June 10
“Remember those little things we may do regularly, such as lighting a candle for a special occasion or tending to the care of a pet or a houseplant. These all have spiritual meaning, and they can become a workshop for the spirit if approached with respect, creativity, and imagination.”
This e-course consists of 40 daily emails of practices, rituals, reminders, and prayers to help you bring more focus and intentionality to the ordinary things you do at home.
For more information and to register.
If you have something to add to Gathered Wisdom, send it to Marjorie George at
marjoriegeorge62@gmail.com
Gathered Wisdom is from The Wisdom Years, a ministry that invites older adults to deepening spirituality in the last third of their lives. If someone forwarded this to you, learn more about The Wisdom Years and subscribe to the site at
ww.wisdomyears.org.
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