The stereotype of aging as a progressive loss of function is generally true only for people who stop functioning.

Nature is another important aspect of nourishing the soul. After a hike in the mountains where we live, for instance, I feel a remarkable sense of gratitude and awe. My mind quiets down and allows me to see more clearly the beauty of creation. And through that gratitude, the beauty of the universe is reflected back to the creator.

Throughout the life cycle we consciously and unconsciously edit the events of our life, trying to give them meaning.

A mystic sees beyond the illusion of separateness into the intricate web of life in which all things are expressions of a single Whole. You can call this web "God, the Tao, the Great Spirit, the Infinite Mystery, Mother or Father," but it can be known only as love.

The question is not if we are going to die or not, but how are we going to live.

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.

Some tension is necessary for the soul to grow, and we can put that tension to good use. We can look for every opportunity to give and receive love, to appreciate nature, to heal our wounds and the wounds of others, to forgive, and to serve.