Embracing My Limitations

David G. Benner makes the following statement in his book Sacred Companions: “The goal of the Christian spiritual journey is not to become less human and more divine; it is to become more fully human. Salvation is not to rescue us from our humanity; it is to redeem our humanity.”

This thought comes at a time when I am discovering that I am growing older and I cannot do all the things I once did. I get tired easier. When once I could carry my grandchildren anywhere, I now think twice before picking up anyone over the age of 18 months. It takes longer to get some things done then it used to. Getting up from a prone position into a standing position is one.  Weeding the garden is another. My curves are in all the wrong places and they don’t seem to want to relocate. Being an older human is who I am–get used to it, Susan.

Benner goes on to say that, “Spirituality that apparently makes us more like God but fails to make us more genuinely human actually destroys our personhood. If embracing humanness was good enough for Jesus, how can we despise it?”

I just had my 58th birthday. Growing older is human and so are all the attachments that go with the ageing journey. This sabbatical is a good time to ponder that fact. I need to redefine how I embrace my ageing humanity and its limitations before I go back to work and automatically take on the work load I just left.

I do realize that there is a lot more of my humanity that needs to be redeemed, but at the moment it is this aspect that I am considering.

Susan