I came across these two quotation in the introduction to Fr. Richard Rohr’s Falling Upward: a spirituality for the two halves of life. What do you think? Are they true?
What is a normal goal to a young person becomes a neurotic hindrance in old age. – Carl Jung
No wise person ever wanted to be younger. – Native American Aphorism
I’ll start the comments with this – I think this is in direct opposition to the thinking of our culture about growing older.
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I don’t understand the first quote. Could you give an example?
Is the second because the wise are young in spirit? I can’t imagine being old is all that much fun.
I find it odd that I post a comment on your blog about your blog post and it finds its way on facebook. Cool stuff.
Just incorporated that. I was frustrated that sometimes two conversations were running – one on FB and one on the actual blog. We’ll see how it works…
I read both of those the day after I turned 53……I never would have understood the first one at 23 or 33, but I do now.
#2
My interpretation:
A wise person appreciates the life she has and the person she is, and does not pine for something unattainable.
True? I think so.
#1
My interpretation:
When we are young we make big plans–set goals–for our future (for when we are older). The older we get, the less time we have to realize those goals and that could be a source of some major anxiety.
Context would really help on this one:)
True? At times, sure. But Carl Jung doesn’t qualify it at all, making it sound as if all normal goals turn into neurotic hindrances. That, I think, is not the case.
(Just my two cents.)
With age comes wisdom and understanding through a lifetime of expiriences; our goals and asperations as we get older change according to our gained wisdom. A older wiser person understands that the wisdom and understanding gained through a long life is like a searched for and found valuable jewel that cannot be attained in youth. The wisdom gained, is worth more than a youthful body and mind.
Our culture is so wrapped up in marketing “youthful appearence” and we by it up. In my opinion we do not draw enough on the expierences and wisdom of the aged. We would rather have the lastest and greatest than timeless wisdom and understanding. Many are more concerned with finding the fountain of youth rather than the old oak of widsom. When young, we tend to feel invinceable with reckless ambition; as we get older ambition, in the wise, turns to contentment in the things of true lasting value. When we are young we concentrate on the material, but eventually those things break, rust,rot and lose their value. The wisdom of age points us toward the things that really matter. We feel our mortality, and the age of your bodies. Our life emphasis should change to relationships, God, contentment, the soul; from money, worldly power, materialism, and the body. We see what is of true lasting value. The continual striving for the material lusts of youth only leads to corruption, relational breakdown, and personal bitterness in old age. In my opinion, I usually meet two kinds of elderly folks. The first is the wise, patient, kind, content, and loving. Or the bitter, broken, and regretful. We eventually become what we strive for in life. The old and wise have shed the misconceptions of the youth and find a higher value of their understanding.
I don’t exactly know the context – but I do know the context that Rohr used it in – which would be in line with what Todd & Zach said.
Rohr would say that preoccupations in the first half of life – setting goals, figuring out oneself, figuring out how you fit in the world, getting one’s ego affirmed, building one’s life – need to go away in the second half of life if we are to mature. It’s not that those things are bad – they have their time and place – but there needs to be a transition to something deeper.
(and that’s what his book is all about!)
Jason, this might serve as an example of the first quote. In the first half of life our primary focus is about establishing identity, obtaining financial security, what i would call “settling.” Normal goals. But in the second half if I am still about those goals, I will merely perpetuate and endorse the status quo, I will not venture outside my comfort zone, I will still be a narcissist (because it’s still all about ME,) and I will be about defending my position rather than enriching others’ lives. And those all constitute “neurotic hindrances.” At least that’s my take on it.