June is a month generally known for school commencements and weddings. Both are important rituals that help us see our place in the life cycle as they affirm both our past accomplishments and set us upon a future course for the upcoming years.
And as parents of graduates and newlyweds, we feel great pride during such occasions since our children’s “successes” also reflect our good parenting — the time, money, energy and “sacrificing” we invested — to support our offspring to arrive there. We see it as our jobs to help our youngsters develop a life purpose and have the character as well as the tools necessary to fulfill it.
Similarly as POParents, June can be a month to commit to placing similar attention on supporting our aging parents to develop their own life purpose, no matter what their current age. Ongoing research shows that having a sense of our own importance and engaging in activities and with people who excite us contributes enormously is what makes longevity really meaningful. Such individuals live not only longer but healthier lives. No amount of stuff can ever offer the feelings that having a sense of life purpose will bring.
As good POParents, let us also consider one of our goals is helping our senior parents move from being “retired” — where they’ve often given up much of their life purpose and personal identities to being “re-wired.” This will likely include doing some POPlanning, providing them the sense of security and family involvement, so they can be free to move into their “second act,” a place to discover some of their finest gifts and joys.
Maybe this June — as many of us complete many responsibilities we’ve been so invested in for our graduates and newly-wed children — we can turn some loving attention to our aging loved ones, to help them similarly affirm their past accomplishments and set upon their own future course for the upcoming years. You may find yourself incredibly proud of your own parents and even yourself for the time, money, energy and “sacrificing” you’re committing to support those who once supported YOU!
What do you think of having a second act, if you’re a senior? If you’re a POParent, what might you DO to help make your parents’ dreams for their future into reality? If you need help to help them, and it’s likely you will, contact us for some POP Family Coaching: you and they will love the results!!