Living my Obituary

Nourishing my midlife Self with nature's bounty and beauty  (Tagaytay City, 2017)

The two-day reflection session with a religious congregation's Jubilarians - nuns who had lived their religious vows for 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 years - was truly a life-giving experience.  While the Sisters were grateful for what they considered to be a meaningful and insightful journey, I too felt stirred in a way I hadn't been in recent months. In preparing for the session, I spent more time not only reading about life at midlife and beyond but also reflecting on my own journey as a mid-lifer. I was therefore a co-journeyer, also facing my midlife journey and its accompanying challenges and gifts, rather than an expert.

Doing the consciousness examen at the end of each day, I found myself truly grateful for the beautiful experience of being witness to the life and stories of the sisters.  I was also amazed at how the Spirit worked through me, for I knew I couldn't lead the discussions with such clarity and depth if I were to rely solely on my own power. I couldn't help but notice how my heart was on fire during those two days. Yes, there were challenging participants. Yes, there were stresses, especially with the content and presentation of my main input unfinished until the 11th hour. Still, I felt a deep sense of fulfilment.  Many times, while looking at the nature's bounty outside the conference room, I'd find myself speaking to God:  "Thank you for the experience, for the opportunity to make a difference, for the space to replenish my inner well through the beauty of nature, even as I make a living. If only I can have more of this kind of work. . . . "

A bonus of the two-day session was a beautiful gift from the Sisters at the end of our activity. Taking off from the obituary writing activity that we did based on The Last Word, a film we watched the previous night, the Sisters through a Sister who knew me from way back, wrote an obit for me. It may not be the exact obit that I'd like written for me but somehow it reflects how I want to be remembered on my passing.

What I truly appreciate in this obit is how it captures my declared life mission:"to be a healer wherever I find myself planted."I know there's more that I can do.  I can open my heart a little bit more and extend my hands further to be the healer that I feel called to be.  And I am at peace knowing that everyday, I have the opportunity to make my life the message, to use my daily life as expression of my obituary-in-the-making.