Robert Browning; Rabbi ben Ezra
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be”
What a motivational first line; a poet in the throes of bereavement making a renowned spiritual leader the voice of his poem! Not only that, the inspiration for this poem seems to be from Rabbi ben Ezra’s teaching “approach the twilight of light with joy and hope… approach the last of life with eagerness, not gloom”. (Ezra, as quoted in Watson, 1988, p.272)
In my work I see many a soul suffer from anxiety about the inevitable- death. Many fear the years to come. Not one day goes by when I don’t hear someone lament “i didn’t know growing old was going to be this hard”. I also see a lot of folks who consider it defeatist to admit that they are growing old, ” age is a state of mind’, “you are only as old as you think”. Though I personally dont agree with this line of though, I try not to be argumentative. My job as a doctor( Geriatrician, who sees older people) is to support people as they navigate old age and the associated infirmities. I understand that everybody must deal with the idea of growing old according to their personal beliefs, and come up with their own philosophy around it. At the same time, I think it is also my job to also make sure they are realistic about their years and not indulge in denial out of fear. This poem could be the guiding light for all who fear growing old. “Young, all lay in dispute; I shall know, being old”. The author interprets this as that when the struggles and mistakes of ones youth are over, one is wiser and has learned the true value of life.
I will close with a line from Sir William Mulock on the same theme “I am still at work, with my hand to the plow, and my face to the future”. (Mulock, as quoted in Watson, 1988, p. 268)
Watson, L. E. (1988). Light from many lamps. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Simarjit,
What a compelling integration of your reflections on leadership, this assignment, and your professional work. Supporting people as they age must be both challenging and rewarding.
Others in this class have also mentioned how powerful it is to explore leadership theory and begin to reflect on how our own personal perspectives on leadership align with or are shaped by these theoretical frameworks.
Here’s to continued reflection in the next phase of your leadership studies!
— Leadership Prof
Thanks for the encouraging words Dr Penfold Navarro. I am reminded of a comment made by one of the previous students of this course, made when I spoke to her before starting. She said above all, this course was very self-reflective. And I couldn’t agree with her more! After going through the leadership theories I find myself thinking about people’s motivations and perspectives behind leadership decisions.