The Age of Miracles

The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife describes a refreshing way to approach midlife, not viewing midlife through glasses emphasizing decline and loss, but through a framework of endless possibility, wisdom, an embracing of and creation of new meaning, a turning towards life, a realization of the limitlessness of God, a forgiving of the past, a reimagination of relationships, and being one with the world around us.

Although this book is grounded in A Course in Miracles (as are all of Marianne Williamson's books), it is spiritual rather than religious and appropriate for readers of all spiritual and religious backgrounds. The book is not about ACIM per se, but about aging; there indeed are other books that can be read to find out more about ACIM. This work consists of Marianne Williamson's thoughtful musings on how to age well from a practical and spiritual point of view.

The book is peppered throughout with beautiful short prayers written by the author. The chapters cover the author's thoughts on the losses versus the gains of aging, family of origin issues, healing from childhood wounds, coping with regret, emotional baggage and more. The book describes how to fan into flames our passions, dreams, and inner fire that may seem to be ashes and cinders but is buried under "accumulated burdens and disappointments" by the time we hit midlife---and can be revived. How do we re-enchant ourselves with a new vision at this time of our lives?

Here is a quote that sums up the theme of this book: "Midlife today is a second puberty of sorts. The experience, including its length, is being redefined. It is a period distinctly unlike youth, yet distinctly unlike old age. It doesn't feel like a cruise to the end of our lives so much as a cruise, at last, to the meaning of our lives."

If reading the above excites you and sounds intriguing, you'll love the book as I did.

Highly recommended.