Quotes from Lewis Richmond

Practice kindness - particularly when you feel irritated or things are not going well. Kindness hardly ever goes wrong.

At first blush this thought might seem depressing, but the process of transformation—aging and its accomplishments—can be very positive, with new possibilities, fresh beginnings, a wealth of appreciation, and a depth of gratitude that profoundly affects how our lives proceed.

Regret and celebration are equally important facets of aging. Throughout this book, these two aspects will appear in various guises and voices. That was the case with

Everything changes." It's not hard to understand this teaching as an intellectual fact; we learn it naturally by living it. But emotionally this teaching means that everything we love and care about—including our family, friends, and even our precious self—will change, transform, and eventually pass away.

It seems obvious when you think about it. We evolved in nature, and our spiritual feelings of oneness and worship come from nature. All of the world religions were founded in rural settings. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were born in the desert, where the herding of sheep and the cultivation of grain

Not surprisingly, physical exercise and diet are key to healthy aging; the research proves that beyond any doubt. But serving others, maintaining healthy relationships, being in nature, and having an active spiritual life—topics central to this book—are equally important. Inner and outer aging are close partners. Until we can find the inner enjoyment of which Suzuki spoke, exercise and diet alone will not suffice to make us content.

The answer, I propose, is that aging is an ideal time for the cultivation of the inner life: a time for spiritual practice. Why

It is possible to find enjoyment in the gift of each moment and each breath, even in the midst of difficulty.

Aging is beyond our control, but how we age is up to us.

The life expectancy at the turn of the century was forty-five; now it is eighty. Living into one's eighties, nineties, and even past one hundred is a real possibility today, one that makes your fifties and sixties a time not for winding down but for gearing up—though for what, we may not be sure.

research shows that generosity is a cause of lasting happiness,

Every breath, new chances.

What's the best use of this extra gift of time?

The answer, I propose, is that aging is an ideal time for the cultivation of the inner life: a time for spiritual practice.

the experience of aging is itself a doorway to spiritual practice, one that transcends any particular religion or faith.

As long as we keep comparing ourselves to a younger, better self (who may have been better only in hindsight), we shortchange the possibilities for becoming an older, wiser one. The wisdom of Adaptation begins in the willingness to let go of who we used to be and embrace who we are now.

As everything ages and passes away, may each of us be kind to ourselves; As everything ages and passes away, may each of us accept joy and sorrow; As everything ages and passes away, may each of us be happy and at peace.

But there was a deeper lesson: Why should we see our life as broken at all? The very notion of "fixing" may itself be the problem. At the root of every discouragement is a comparison: things should be different, things could be different, and because they are

Gratitude, with no complaints, is the attitude that I would like to have, not only at the end of my life, but from now until then.

the reason we meditate is to enjoy our old age.

Generosity is woven into the fabric of all existence. All living things give and receive all the time. The very act of breathing is a kind of giving and receiving.

Letting go of what is already slipping away is how we actually enjoy our life.

Spiritual practice is more about questions than answers, more about searching than finding, more about effort than accomplishment.

But why is that so? These days many people feel disconnected from the religion of their childhood. I know many people who think of Sunday morning as an ideal time to surf news sites, update their Facebook page, and catch up on their e-mails. At the same time, the latest Pew religion research polls show that millions of people are interested in spiritual matters, though they are adherents of no particular religion.