This is an autobiographical parable of sorts, encapsulating several of our 2HC themes thus far: identity, noticing, unhurrying, cycle of grace, rest.

In this blog the author uses his photos and art work of doors to illustrate transition and threshold spaces between the first and second half of life.

JD, a 2HC participant writes, “Today was a reminder of a principle that I have been learning and reviewing in a cohort I am involved in this year. The principle is this; we must SLOW DOWN to hear the voice of God. Far too often, we do not hear His voice because we are not listening. We don’t have time to hear or feel or consider. We are moving far too fast. We are too preoccupied.”

Grace Kim, a Spiritual Director for 2HC, recounts a recent struggle to invest in a training that would enable her to gain skills to become who she was created to be. This is her story — and God’s story — of what happened when she did.

Welcome to our new 2HC cohort for 2023-24 and to all our readers. We invite you to listen to the voice of the Spirit as you read.

David S, a recent participant of 2HC, in this creatively warm and candid blog, shares the ways pipe smoking is a lens through which he sees his second half of life.

In this blog Nathan Burke describes a scene from the movie The Hobbit that resonated with the way he experienced his time in 2HC.

For centuries, Psalm 84, the Prayer of the Pilgrim, has moved many to undertake pilgrimage as a spiritual formation practice. Carol Weaver, a 2HC Facilitator and Spiritual Director, shares the story of her recent pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, Spain. Weaving phrases from Psalm 84 with photos, poems, stories and lessons learned from various Stations of our 2nd Half Collaborative, Carol tenderly recounts how this pilgrimage helped heal a heart wound she received 40 years earlier in Santiago, Spain.

How can we bring an orientation toward 2nd half of life flourishing into many more places and spaces of mission? More specifically, in what ways can we help our families, teams, and mission organizations be places that encourage and support global workers who are uncovering typical 2nd half of life challenges and opportunities? How can we keep the green “walk sign” on so that they keep walking with us and us with them?

T.S. Eliot, in part of a poem directed to second half life travelers, captivates us with an image of exploration. "Old people ought to be explorers. Here or there does not matter. We must be still, and still moving, into another intensity, for a further union, a deeper communion." This blog is dedicated to our 2HC's 2022-2023 Cohort who for ten months explored together a sustainable spirituality for the second half of life. To honor the participants, our six 2HC facilitators share the blessings they received from the Cohort and in turn speak a blessing over them.

“I sensed danger as my communion with the Lord failed to reach the depth I once knew,” so begins Joe, this blog’s author. It was enough to compel him to go on a retreat where he could prayerfully reflect on this. In a paradigm-shifting conversation over lunch with the retreat host, Joe heard the Lord’s invitation, “What if every day is just another opportunity to be with me?” Here is his story.

Elaine continues the theme of life and faith growth over a lifetime which she wrote for 2HC in her previous blog, In A Single Breath. In this portion of her blog, she focuses on the stage known as The Wall. Elaine’s journey at the Wall is unique to her, as it will be for others. Nevertheless, many describe their wall time with similar themes: a period of disorientation, uncertainty, confusion, as well as a deep and growing thirst for God.

In this blog and the next, Elaine T, a 2HC participant, picks up one of our 2HC themes — how faith develops over a life time. She enriches concepts we looked at from the book The Critical Journey with the writings of Richard Rohr in his book Falling Upwards: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life. Elaine weaves in her story of a profound loss that shifted her faith at a very young age.

In the next blog (Part 2), Elaine, with powerful prose and poetic language, will describe her experiences at The Wall.

Our current month’s theme in 2HC is seasons of life and grieving losses. The following lament represents a synthesis of many voices of those who, for various reasons, return to their passport countries after years of cross-cultural service. It captures what many feel emotionally when treasured community, once centered around an exciting cause, can no longer exist without that cause. The loss is real, as is the longing for a community where unconditional love is nurtured and supported. The author here expresses what all laments contain: pain, anger, and hope.