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Human Values in Aging Newsletter

January 11, 2006

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face="Arial">In This Issue:

-- The Art of Losing

-- Earth's Elders: The Wisdom of Age

-- St. Theresa and Erik Erikson

-- The Beauty of Age

-- New Prize from Civic Ventures

-- Web Sites to See

-- Books of Interest

-- Calendar of Events

-- Understanding the Worth of Life

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THE ART OF LOSING The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. Lose
something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art
of losing isn't hard to master. Then practice losing farther, losing faster... --
Elizabeth Bishop For more on the writing of this remarkable poem, see: href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.1.1178018">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.1.1178018

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EARTH ELDERS: THE WISDOM OF AGE Earth's Elders Foundation
is an educational non-profit organization which has embarked on landmark project to
introduce the world to the sixty oldest people on earth. Their photo documentation project
provides a window into the world of these "human time capsules," whose lives
spanned more than a century reaching the outer edge of longevity. A new book, EARTH'S
ELDERS: The Wisdom of the World's Oldest People, by Jerry Friedman includes contributions
by Robert Coles and Lama Surya Das. This spring, the United Nations will host a two-month
show of Friedman's photographic work. Learn more on this initiative. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.2.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.2.1178018

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ST. TERESA & ERIK ERIKSON: On Lifespan Development
See an analysis of St. Teresa of Avila's view of prayer, in comparison to Erik Erikson's
ideas of lifespan development. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.3.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.3.1178018
"This magnificent refuge is inside you. Enter. Shatter the darkness that shrouds the
doorway... Believe the incredible truth that the Beloved has chosen for his dwelling place
the core of your own being because that is the single most beautiful place in all of
creation." (St. Theresa, THE INTERIOR CASTLE). Learn more. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.4.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.4.1178018
To see an archetypal approach to St. Theresa, read Erich Neumann's commentary. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.5.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.5.1178018
See also Lars Tornstam's new book GEROTRANSCENDENCE: An Extension of Erikson's Theory of
Identity Development. target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.6.1178018

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THE BEAUTY OF AGE by Helen Redman "Why is the beauty
of old not seen? Why is my aging hand any different from that of the tree or the eroding
cliff or the piece of driftwood we admire on the beach. Our bodies are touched by time and
sunlight and have their own textures and lines. I think of age being recorded in my hands
just as in the rings of trees... Linking youth and sexual ripeness with beauty sacrifices
a diversity of viewpoint. The effect is pernicious in the lives of women and is spread
everywhere through advertising and the screens of television and movies. The more we are
told to fight aging and remove all traces of it from our lives, the more it becomes
necessary to see the beauty of the old. We cannot let this stage of development be cut off
in our psyches as it has been in our packaged culture of marketed beauty... New, secret
and tender places are ours to explore when we move into the margins... At this time of
life, we have the chance to bring all the elements of our life together rather than be
pulled apart by them... The larger truth is that everything is connected." To see
artworks inspired by this vision, visit Helen Redman's website, "Birthing the
Crone". target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.7.1178018

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NEW PRIZE FROM CIVIC VENTURES As the first of 77 million
baby boomers turn 60 in 2006, Civic Ventures, a nonprofit organization working to help
America achieve the greatest return on experience, has announced a "The Purpose
Prize." The program will provide five $ 100,000 awards to Americans over 60 whose
creativity, talent and experience is transforming the way our nation addresses critical
social problems. Sixty semi-finalists ("60 at 60-plus") will also receive
national recognition for their work. Nominate someone or apply yourself. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.8.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.8.1178018
The application deadline is February 28, 2006 and the first awards will be made in June,
2006.

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WEB SITES TO SEE PERFORMANCE ART & DEMENTIA. The
TimeSlips Project has generated hundreds of stories and produced plays and art exhibits to
promote connection among people struggling with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias.
Learn more. target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.9.1178018

INCORPORATING SPIRITUALITY INTO PROFESSIONAL WORK IN
AGING, by Robert Atchley. Read the full text. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.10.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.10.1178018

DANCE AND OLDER ADULTS. Read a bibliography on dance and
older people compiled by the American Dance Therapy Association. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.11.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.11.1178018

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BOOKS OF INTEREST FROM OLD WOMAN TO OLDER WOMEN:
Contemporary Culture and Women's Narratives, by Sally Chivers (Ohio State Univ. Press,
2003). http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.12.1178018

THE GRAYING OF THE CHURCH, by Richard Gentzler
(Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2004).

THE MELODY LINGERS ON: A Complete Music Activities
Program for Older Adults, by Bill Messenger (Venture, 2004). See more details. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.13.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.13.1178018

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS SPIRITUAL ASSESSMENT: Workshop (Jan.
19-20, 2006, Claremont, CA). Claremont Manor Retirement Community, Claremont, CA and
Fredericka Manor Care Center, Chula Vista, CA. (8:30 - 4 PM, both days). Presenter: Dr.
James Ellor. See details. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.14.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.14.1178018

ELDERSHIRE: (January 27-29, 2006, Sherburne, NY). Bill
and Jude Thomas host a workshop on the Eldershire concept of housing and community
building. Eldershire aims to create an elder-rich living experience that allows residents
to continue to grow, learn, contribute, and age with grace and spirit. For more
information, call Arthur Rashap at (607) 674-2650 or send an e-mail to: href="mailto:arashap@eldershire.net">arashap@eldershire.net. See more details. href="http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.15.1178018" target="_blank">http://news.aarp.org/UM/T.asp?A910.52852.2429.15.1178018

HEALING RETREAT: Body-Mind-Spirit, Healing Your Illness.
(Jan. 29 - Feb. 3, 2006, Leavenworth, KS). Retreat Director: Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D.,
leader in spiritual gerontology with at the Body, mind, Spirit Healing Center. Retreat
will be held at Marillac Retreat Center, 4200 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kansas
(30-minute ride from Kansas City Airport). For details, call: (636) 273-6898 or email: href="mailto:rjohnson@lifelongadultministry.org">rjohnson@lifelongadultministry.org.
Space is limited, so register by Jan. 15, 2006 or call for space availability.

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"Only the dead understand the worth of life."
--Muslim Proverb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This electronic newsletter, edited by Harry (Rick) Moody,
is published by the Office of Academic Affairs at AARP (601 "E" Street, NW,
Washington, DC, 20049) and is cosponsored by the International Longevity Center-USA. The
Newsletter contains items of interest about humanistic gerontology; it does not publish
original writing but is limited to brief and timely announcements. To submit items of
interest or request subscription changes, contact hrmoody@yahoo.com.
(c) Copyright 2006; all rights reserved.

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