Everyone says just “be yourself.” What does that mean? “Who I am” has changed throughout my life. Now, I’m in a space where I am not any of the things I was before, a space called retirement.
In her book, The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully, Joan Chittister asks: “What am I when I am no longer young enough to strive for a position, to garner another trophy, to get another raise, to race off in the morning to put in hours at the local office of some company?”
Most of our lives are centered around doing: doing things for our children, doing something for a living, doing something at church. Then one day, all of that changes, and we are left with what seems to be little or no identity.
Fortunately, God helped me to realize that we each need somewhere we can make a contribution – something that is bigger than ourselves. As Christian women, we can remember who we are and continue to share God’s love. We must embody the gifts and practices that have made us who we are. We all have unique and have valuable contributions to make.
This message is excerpted from “Value who you are” by Patti Austin from the July 25, 2016, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
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