I woke up and saw you message here it’s early here 5 am . It’s very refreshing to read. I am a day away from 55Th Birthday. We are of the same page. I too feel that i should be living a more meaningful life. I love your thoughts. I spent the first part of my life pleasing others and now it’s time to make my life more meaningful. So I love the fact that reference Thomas Merton. So keep doing this sort of writing. I find a sense of peace in your writing and common sense if that makes a difference. You know they say God drops those little nuggets of goodness when you need them. Thank you for spiritual message you’re on the right path. Julie D
...at 67, i'm in the "last quarter of life" so your email hits home / 'love the focus of these writings - congrats on Divinity School and praying for wisdom as you head down that road(s) of discernment
I’m 55 in less than a month, and these are all *very* topical for me. I can’t wait to read what you have to say on these issues. And I especially look forward to reading about your experience at Yale Div - I have a friend who used to teach there. Thank you for your courage, and I’m excited to go on this journey with you!
I will happily join you on your journey. I have been on a bit of a similar (I believe, think, hope) journey and am excited to hear of yours. Bishop Robert Barron speaks in the linked sermon of leaving behind the ego-drama for the Theo-drama. It struck a cord with me and may with you as well. https://www.wordonfire.org/videos/sermons/give-up-the-ego-drama/
Apr 19, 2023·edited Apr 19, 2023Liked by Kirsten Powers
Wow! I did come here for your political acuity but just retired not long ago (from my identity?) which, if that's not a 2nd life, I'm not sure what is. I don't know if that's even comparable but you definitely have my attention! Your articles have always been insightful so I'm very interested in seeing where you take this and learn more. Thank you!!!
Have loved your writing and excited to see what comes next. I’m very interested in this topic and I’m trying to find out how to live a soul-aligned life. Best of luck!
Dear Ms. Powers, I am 58 years old and I live for your newsletter and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint. I adore how you weave your words and thoughts and find them truly inspiring. I currently find myself at a crossroads and I don’t want to find myself on my deathbed thinking I’ve never made an impact in this life.
Kirsten, I was never drawn to you for your political views; in fact, I disagreed with many of your political views. Instead, I was drawn to you for your clarity of thinking and writing opinions that, regardless of whether or not I believed in them, I respected and came to admire your stance on issues.
The second half of life is to leverage the wisdom we attained through life's experiences, lessons learned, and the valuable things life threw in the path that allowed us to see there is more to life. My quote for my second half of life is, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not when I came to die, discover that I had not lived" Henry David Thoreau. Bill Mahr says now more than ever, we get wiser as we age. I think he is on to something!
Some are lucky to arrive at such wisdom early in life, though they are outliers and blessed to have that wisdom and discovery. But, to answer one of your questions below, there is always time. Morgan Freedmen didn't get his first acting break until he was 50. I am 56 and still hopeful, LOL!
You say you have only shown us a "tiny" part of you, but given your clarity of writing and communication, I think you reveal more than you maybe realize. Your integrity, principles, and values come through, even if they have a political slant. I wish I could the same thing about some of my family and friends, who sometimes express beliefs contrary to Christian and Judaic values.
I am so excited for you-- and gotta say, this isn't a surprise to me at all, and I LOVE that you have shifted "political" ideas to something that feels more human. GOOD ON YA!!! My daughter is at Yale (undergrad), so if you go, don't be surprised if a random 60 year old woman sees you on campus and throws her arms around you. I'll try to restrain myself and maybe just shout a "thank you." Very much looking forward to your journey. (And yes you can be spiritual if you don't like religion or believe in God, says I.)
Thank you Kirsten - brilliant and I'm right there with you questioning everything. Even have had thoughts of going to divinity school myself. As a leader of a small, international nonprofit it has always felt like a "calling". However, recently I'm asking questions about the nonprofit model and how life sucking it is to be always groveling for money and being asked to prove how we use the money without investing in people or infrastructure. Where to go from here I have no idea - and I look forward to joining you on this adventure! Let's Go!
I am so excited for you Kirsten. I am going through a similar time of letting go of so many things that made up my first-half of life and moving on to what I believe is going to be a beautifully rich second-half of life. Every word of what you’ve written here resonated with me deeply, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Thank you Kirsten for this wonderful post today. It was exactly what I needed to hear and gives me hope. I think I am one of those individuals that “entered the second half of life” at a young age, but sadly, it was by default, to survive the loss of career at the onset of the age of 40..a devastating loss brought on by “successful ego systems thru a local institution” with intentional harm to myself. I am 62 now, hard to believe, I have suffered this long. It is on my bucket list to confront the Dean of the college (now Emeritus Dean) where I graduated with high honors, on why she responded to a letter from me with such vengeance that was irrelevant to my request, and copied a major employer where I had good reviews from teachers and awaiting a contract position to open up, and to send a letter that guaranteed I would never get hired. My American dream turned into a nightmare. I want that Dean and the college to know where I came from and the sacrifices I made to get a B.S. degree at age 40.
Anyway, thanks for reading this, and for your new blog. I look forward to reading that Americans can have different meanings of success and be your own person without being punished for it. I have always had a strong personality, but it hasn’t served me well unfortunately. In hindsight, I should have moved away, but I was recently married by then and still am, the first time in my life I had a family, so I chose family over moving. I can’t believe I am even writing all this today as I am so weak from an ailment that has just come upon me, this past weekend, and trying to get my strength back. Reading your new direction will help validate a lot of people of don’t always go with the status quo of just plain crap. Thank you and best wishes on your post. I signed up for the annual paid post and glad to do it! Peace and joy to you always Kirsten. I don’t know anything about being successful, never given the chance, but I do know about damaging systems that hurt people that don’t deserve that.
PS I am a private person and I would prefer not to post my full name in this post.
Ahhh, congratulations on divinity school!!! My partner read the second half of your Italy newsletter today and said to me “I’ve never read anyone’s story that feels more aligned with your experience.” (So thank you.) All those things are what’s inspired/forced/convinced/required me to make similar life changes to yours. I’m in Martha Beck’s coaching program right now and I’m not sure what I’ll do with it either... but I know what I WON’T do. :)
Congratulations, too, on listening to your authentic self and stepping away from writing about politics, and into this new season of life for yourself. It takes so much guts to abandon an area of expertise (and identity!) that you know will resonate with the audience you spent many years building. I’m so here for this!
Hi Kirsten, I listened to both of your podcast spots on The Bible for Normal People and I was immediately intrigued by your candid internal personal thought reformations that brought you to this second half of life revelation. During both of those conversations I kept saying “Yes,yes” to everything you were saying regarding grace, non dualism, public discourse and love of others. I just recently discovered Substack and was pleasantly surprised when I found your offerings. As one who is deep into a second half of life journey (and a fellow admirer of Richard Rohr) I wholeheartedly encourage and anticipate your second half of life revelations. Thanks and blessings on the journey.
I woke up and saw you message here it’s early here 5 am . It’s very refreshing to read. I am a day away from 55Th Birthday. We are of the same page. I too feel that i should be living a more meaningful life. I love your thoughts. I spent the first part of my life pleasing others and now it’s time to make my life more meaningful. So I love the fact that reference Thomas Merton. So keep doing this sort of writing. I find a sense of peace in your writing and common sense if that makes a difference. You know they say God drops those little nuggets of goodness when you need them. Thank you for spiritual message you’re on the right path. Julie D
...at 67, i'm in the "last quarter of life" so your email hits home / 'love the focus of these writings - congrats on Divinity School and praying for wisdom as you head down that road(s) of discernment
I'm in Kirsten. Liked this breath of fresh air this morning! Let's go!
I’m 55 in less than a month, and these are all *very* topical for me. I can’t wait to read what you have to say on these issues. And I especially look forward to reading about your experience at Yale Div - I have a friend who used to teach there. Thank you for your courage, and I’m excited to go on this journey with you!
I will happily join you on your journey. I have been on a bit of a similar (I believe, think, hope) journey and am excited to hear of yours. Bishop Robert Barron speaks in the linked sermon of leaving behind the ego-drama for the Theo-drama. It struck a cord with me and may with you as well. https://www.wordonfire.org/videos/sermons/give-up-the-ego-drama/
God bless.
Wow! I did come here for your political acuity but just retired not long ago (from my identity?) which, if that's not a 2nd life, I'm not sure what is. I don't know if that's even comparable but you definitely have my attention! Your articles have always been insightful so I'm very interested in seeing where you take this and learn more. Thank you!!!
Have loved your writing and excited to see what comes next. I’m very interested in this topic and I’m trying to find out how to live a soul-aligned life. Best of luck!
Go for it. I’m here for all you have to write.
Dear Ms. Powers, I am 58 years old and I live for your newsletter and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint. I adore how you weave your words and thoughts and find them truly inspiring. I currently find myself at a crossroads and I don’t want to find myself on my deathbed thinking I’ve never made an impact in this life.
Kirsten, I was never drawn to you for your political views; in fact, I disagreed with many of your political views. Instead, I was drawn to you for your clarity of thinking and writing opinions that, regardless of whether or not I believed in them, I respected and came to admire your stance on issues.
The second half of life is to leverage the wisdom we attained through life's experiences, lessons learned, and the valuable things life threw in the path that allowed us to see there is more to life. My quote for my second half of life is, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not when I came to die, discover that I had not lived" Henry David Thoreau. Bill Mahr says now more than ever, we get wiser as we age. I think he is on to something!
Some are lucky to arrive at such wisdom early in life, though they are outliers and blessed to have that wisdom and discovery. But, to answer one of your questions below, there is always time. Morgan Freedmen didn't get his first acting break until he was 50. I am 56 and still hopeful, LOL!
You say you have only shown us a "tiny" part of you, but given your clarity of writing and communication, I think you reveal more than you maybe realize. Your integrity, principles, and values come through, even if they have a political slant. I wish I could the same thing about some of my family and friends, who sometimes express beliefs contrary to Christian and Judaic values.
Sign me up for your journey; I call shotgun! :-)
I am so excited for you-- and gotta say, this isn't a surprise to me at all, and I LOVE that you have shifted "political" ideas to something that feels more human. GOOD ON YA!!! My daughter is at Yale (undergrad), so if you go, don't be surprised if a random 60 year old woman sees you on campus and throws her arms around you. I'll try to restrain myself and maybe just shout a "thank you." Very much looking forward to your journey. (And yes you can be spiritual if you don't like religion or believe in God, says I.)
Thank you Kirsten - brilliant and I'm right there with you questioning everything. Even have had thoughts of going to divinity school myself. As a leader of a small, international nonprofit it has always felt like a "calling". However, recently I'm asking questions about the nonprofit model and how life sucking it is to be always groveling for money and being asked to prove how we use the money without investing in people or infrastructure. Where to go from here I have no idea - and I look forward to joining you on this adventure! Let's Go!
I am so excited for you Kirsten. I am going through a similar time of letting go of so many things that made up my first-half of life and moving on to what I believe is going to be a beautifully rich second-half of life. Every word of what you’ve written here resonated with me deeply, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Thank you Kirsten for this wonderful post today. It was exactly what I needed to hear and gives me hope. I think I am one of those individuals that “entered the second half of life” at a young age, but sadly, it was by default, to survive the loss of career at the onset of the age of 40..a devastating loss brought on by “successful ego systems thru a local institution” with intentional harm to myself. I am 62 now, hard to believe, I have suffered this long. It is on my bucket list to confront the Dean of the college (now Emeritus Dean) where I graduated with high honors, on why she responded to a letter from me with such vengeance that was irrelevant to my request, and copied a major employer where I had good reviews from teachers and awaiting a contract position to open up, and to send a letter that guaranteed I would never get hired. My American dream turned into a nightmare. I want that Dean and the college to know where I came from and the sacrifices I made to get a B.S. degree at age 40.
Anyway, thanks for reading this, and for your new blog. I look forward to reading that Americans can have different meanings of success and be your own person without being punished for it. I have always had a strong personality, but it hasn’t served me well unfortunately. In hindsight, I should have moved away, but I was recently married by then and still am, the first time in my life I had a family, so I chose family over moving. I can’t believe I am even writing all this today as I am so weak from an ailment that has just come upon me, this past weekend, and trying to get my strength back. Reading your new direction will help validate a lot of people of don’t always go with the status quo of just plain crap. Thank you and best wishes on your post. I signed up for the annual paid post and glad to do it! Peace and joy to you always Kirsten. I don’t know anything about being successful, never given the chance, but I do know about damaging systems that hurt people that don’t deserve that.
PS I am a private person and I would prefer not to post my full name in this post.
Ahhh, congratulations on divinity school!!! My partner read the second half of your Italy newsletter today and said to me “I’ve never read anyone’s story that feels more aligned with your experience.” (So thank you.) All those things are what’s inspired/forced/convinced/required me to make similar life changes to yours. I’m in Martha Beck’s coaching program right now and I’m not sure what I’ll do with it either... but I know what I WON’T do. :)
Congratulations, too, on listening to your authentic self and stepping away from writing about politics, and into this new season of life for yourself. It takes so much guts to abandon an area of expertise (and identity!) that you know will resonate with the audience you spent many years building. I’m so here for this!
Hi Kirsten, I listened to both of your podcast spots on The Bible for Normal People and I was immediately intrigued by your candid internal personal thought reformations that brought you to this second half of life revelation. During both of those conversations I kept saying “Yes,yes” to everything you were saying regarding grace, non dualism, public discourse and love of others. I just recently discovered Substack and was pleasantly surprised when I found your offerings. As one who is deep into a second half of life journey (and a fellow admirer of Richard Rohr) I wholeheartedly encourage and anticipate your second half of life revelations. Thanks and blessings on the journey.