by Henri J. M. Nouwen and
Walter J. Gaffney
Doubleday Publishing
1976 US $15.00
Reviewed by Claire L. Eva, Assistant Director, General Conference Stewardship Ministries
Being particularly partial to the writings of the late Henri Nouwen, we were happy to review his 1976 classic work with Walter Gaffney, Aging: The Fulfillment of Life. The authors metaphorically describe each of us as a spoke on the great wheel of life—part of the ongoing cycle of growth.
?Aging,? the authors write, ?is not a reason for despair, but a basis of hope ? a gradual maturing, not a fate to be undergone but a chance to be embraced?—a way out of darkness into light.
This small volume helps us understand the elderly and reminds us of our responsibility to incorporate the aged into our lives. Especially meaningful is the concept that we ourselves need to be detached from the illusion of immortality in our own lives, in order to present to the elderly. A small downside? The eighty-five photographs of scenes from life and nature that are included are copies and their quality is generally poor.
If you desire to understand your own feelings about aging, and the aged as well, you will find wisdom and insights in this work to help you do just that.
