If you can find stillness,

the jasmine will night-bloom in your direction

and the breeze

will carry its sacred exhalation of perfume

toward you.

Breathe,

the moon will cascade waves of radiance

downward,

drop her silver robes,

glow.

You will awaken,

overtaken by a love

that asks no permission,

golden particles rising

beneath your skin.

all of existence

longs to be an offering.

eternity is a constant whisper

wishing to be listened to.

This is the beginning.

This is only the beginning.

Let it in.

No matter your age, we hope this book has inspired you to see becoming an elder as a privilege that is worthy of celebration. Remember that planting even the most beloved parts of our lives in the soil can turn them into the rich compost from which new flowers can bloom. 

We close this book of rituals with a prayer for us as we embark upon the sacred journey of aging, inspired by Tefilat HaDerech, the Traveler’s Prayer.

May it be Your will, God who blessed us and our ancestors, that You guide us toward peace, joy and longevity. May You rescue us from all adversity we may encounter. May You bless our endeavors to create meaning as we age, and grant us grace, kindness and mercy. May You hear these requests because You are God who hears our prayers. Blessed are You, Source of Life, who hears prayer.

“Rabbi Tarfon said: The day is short and the work is long. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Pirkei Avot 2:16 

“There are two ways to live. You can live as if nothing is a miracle. You can live as if everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein 

"I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability." Ruth Bader Ginsberg 

"The end of the matter is better than the beginning.” Ecclesiastes 7:8 

Adonai, this living has squeezed the juice from me; I am but a

rind, my innards pulp.

I can no longer go out and come in.

You nurtured my early self, You amazed my childhood.

I Yearned in my youth

And loved in my ripeness.

I have sought and found

and lost

and found again.

I have borne my fruit.

I have searched my ambition

Studied to my achievement And served with passion.

I have lived in Your glorious work of art, Creation, with curiosity,

attention, joy and thanksgiving.

I have taught what I learned,

And when I had no more to teach, I simply loved.

I have peeled away the husks to find my soul: Your spirit within

me.

Wherever you placed me, I did the Tikkun I could. Thus I have

offered myself in the Temple of Your world.

I have sung my song and danced my dance; And now I am old.

The trickle in my veins barely nourishes me. I ache in every part

of me.

So many of my dear ones are dead.

Why have you sustained me in this withering?

How is it possible, now, to add to Your Majesty? What purpose

can there be in my suffering?

Is there yet a task for me that I have missed? If so, keep not this

secret from me.

For I am ready, My Creator,

To give up this body to the Earth To be remixed into fresh life.

I long to be joined to you

as I yearned for the lover of my youth.

In your mercy, Dear One,

I beseech you—

Walk by and offer Your hand.

Take me.

____

Shared with author’s permission.

As God blessed our ancestors on their journeys, so may you be blessed as you embark on the journey of your retirement. May you find rest and challenge, quiet and adventure. May you be sustained by the achievements of your work life and inspired by the possibilities of what lies ahead. May you allow yourself to experience silence and rest, and may you open yourself to the new music that may emerge from that silence.

Coming to terms with our own mortality can help us better appreciate the life we have today, even as we say goodbye to loved ones. Our partners at Shomer Collective remind us of the Torah teaching to “choose life,” and that it is never too early to communicate our end of life wishes to our loved ones. Though it may feel easier to avoid these difficult conversations, when we neglect them, we risk falling into crisis when the inevitable happens. We hope these rituals, grounded in Jewish tradition, elevate and sanctify your end of life conversations.