On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, & Getting Old

by Parker J. Palmer

“This impassioned book invites readers to the deep end of life where authentic soul work and human transformation become pressing concerns.” —Publishers Weekly2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards Gold Medalist in the Aging/Death & Dying CategoryFrom bestselling author Parker J. Palmer comes a brave and beautiful book for all who want to age reflectively, seeking new insights and life-giving ways to engage in the world. “Age itself,” he says, “is no excuse to wade in the shallows. It’s a reason to dive deep and take creative risks.”Looking back on eight decades of life—and on his work as a writer, teacher, and activist—Palmer explores what he’s learning about self and world, inviting readers to explore their own experience. In prose and poetry—and three downloadable songs written for the book by the gifted Carrie Newcomer—he meditates on the meanings of life, past, present, and future. With compassion and chutzpah, gravitas and levity, Palmer writes about cultivating a vital inner and outer life, finding meaning in suffering and joy, and forming friendships across the generations that bring new life to young and old alike.“This book is a companion for not merely surviving a fractured world, but embodying—like Parker—the fiercely honest and gracious wholeness that is ours to claim at every stage of life.” —Krista Tippett, New York Times-bestselling author of Becoming Wise“A wondrously rich mix of reality and possibility, comfort and story, helpful counsel and poetry, in the voice of a friend . . . This is a book of immense gratitude, consolation, and praise.” —Naomi Shihab Nye, National Book Award finalist

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Memoir, Philosophy, Essays, Self Help, Poetry

187 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2022

About the author

Parker J. Palmer (Madison, WI) is a writer, teacher and activist whose work speaks deeply to people in many walks of life. Author of eight books--including the bestsellers Courage to Teach, Let Your Life Speak, and A Hidden Wholeness--his writing has been recognized with ten honorary doctorates and many national awards, including the 2010 William Rainey Harper Award (previously won by Margaret Mead, Paulo Freire, and Elie Wiesel). He is founder and senior partner of the Center for Courage Renewal, and holds a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parker J. Palmer instantly held me captive in the palm of his hands....from the TITLE PAGE...
“On The Brink of Everything...
Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old”..... and on every next page that followed.

My poor husband, Paul. Ha!
I kept reading to him paragraphs after paragraphs the moment his eyes opened in our bed.
After I put him back to sleep...
I took my new waterproof kindle with me - clipped on my bike shoes to ride our spinnaker bike.
I was completely in the mood to nourish not only my body - being the young - blessed - 67 year old I am today... ha...
while nourishing my soul with everything Palmer was dishing out: wisdom on life - living - aging - ‘everything’ that relates to our past, present, and our future. “A panoramic view”....( at life from an old guy)...😊

“We have no choice about death. But we do have choices to make about how we hold the inevitable— choices made difficult by a culture that celebrates youth, disparages old age, and discourages us from facing into our morality.

Palmer writes:
“I’m not given to waxing romantic about aging and dying. I simply know that the first is a privilege and the second is not up for negotiation”.

Parker was 79 years old when he wrote this book...80+ now.

In the beginning, Palmer shares about his editor Sheryl Fullerton, ( I giggled with warmth from a dialogue shared together), and his long time friend, Carrie Newcomer, ... a gifted singer songwriter.
Three songs can be downloaded free of charge.

Google provided a lovely experience: more to digest about about Palmer himself and Carrie Newcomer.
Her songs are lovely.

The first sentence in the chapter titled ‘Gratitude’, .... is one to meditate on - to ponder our own lives.
“We grow old and die in the same way we lived our lives”.
Palmer goes on to say:
“That’s why this book is not about growing old gracefully. My life has been graced, but it certainly hasn’t been graceful—I’ve done more than my share of falling down, getting up, and falling down again.
The falling down is due to missteps and gravity. The getting up is due to grace, meditated by people to whom I owe great depths of gratitude”.
Isn’t that true for all of us?

Before I go on, there was a phrase that Palmer said that I really loved. I hope to steal it from him in the future.
“Conversation-Partner”.
I absolutely love that phrase : “Conversation-Partner”.
It emphasizes a deep richness within me with others whom I cherish and value.
I’ve been saying for years ... that our relationships are the heartbeat of life -
but Palmer’s description of ‘Conversation-Partner’, verbalizes the power and quality of a meaningful friendship.

The very first chapter/essay, explains how Palmer stole the title for this book... from his great friend Courtney Martin. A great story which I won’t spoil.

Everything about “On the Brink of Everything”... resonated with me.
Nothing preachy was found within the pages.
( after all Palmer’s wife is his first critical artistic reader) > I knew I loved Palmer’s wife right away too.

In Palmer second essay,
“Does My Life Have Meaning”....
I was shaking my head saying yes yes yes, “I understand what you’re saying”.....when he says:
“I recount how I learned what is wrong with that ancient and oft-asked question, [does my life have meaning?],
you end up with the wrong answer”.
So....Palmer set out to find the right answer or at least one of them—
Palmer was gracious enough to remind the reader if a question doesn’t work for us, maybe his musings will encourage us to find one that does”.

This book succeeded on so many levels.
If I shared all my favorite quotes, sentences, feelings and thoughts, this review might be as long as Palmer’s book.

I’m happy to leave the writing to Palmer. I’m simply grateful to have been a reader.
But.... a little more to share....
These words could not be more true for me, too:
“I live with a couple of ongoing challenges to my health. They pose no immediate threat to my life, but it gives you pause when you start meeting more frequently with specialists, especially as you watch family members and friends and colleagues fall ill and die”.

“So what’s the value of reading this book”, I asked myself. “Don’t I already know many of these things?”
Yes... I do.... but there is something very empowering...meditative-transforming when spending time with a
“Conversation-Partner”... contemplating life experiences- knowledge- thoughts - and feelings.

Besides.... I was nostalgic with my own wonderful memories of Cody’s Bookstore on telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. Palmer was too, apparently.

Diamond nuggets are found throughout this book.

“We— Young and old together— hold the future in our hands. If our common life is to become more compassionate, creative, and just, it will take an intergenerational effort”.
AMEN!!!

“How do we learn to embrace with love the whole of who we are— a task that need not and should not await our elder years?”
1-reach out to the younger generation...
2-move toward whatever you fear, not away from it....
3-spend time in the natural world, as much time as you can....”

“Wholeness is the goal, but wholeness does not mean perfection. It means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life”.

A quote I’m sitting with myself....
......written by *Marc Chagall*
“In my youth, poverty enriched me, but now I can afford wealth”.

A wonderful book, by a wonderful man, recommended to me by a wonderful friend!
Thank you, Laysee 💕


I treasured this book -
It’s so tempting to keep sharing more and highlighting more but like my sweet friend, Laysee says in her review...
( or something like this) >
Laysee hopes ( as I do too)... that more readers will pick up this book to read.

[Laysee · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wholeness is the goal, but wholeness does not mean perfection. It means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life. The sooner we understand this, the better. It’s a truth that can set us free to live well, to love well, and, in the end, to die well.” - Packer Palmer, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity & Getting Old

A month ago, I read Julian Barnes’ Nothing to be Frightened of, in which he discussed his mortal fear of dying. At the end of his erudite discourse. I was struck by a sense of hollow despair. On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity & Getting Old grappled similarly with dying, but Palmer’s meditation on aging left me with greater courage and hope. It offered a refreshing view of embracing the wholeness of life – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Parker Palmer is an American author, educator, and activist who champions education, spirituality, and social change. He is the Founder and Senior Emeritus of the Centre for Courage and Renewal. Palmer who struggled with clinical depression in his forties wrote from a place of vulnerability. His willingness to share his journey honestly with his readers made this an uplifting book. However, his treatment was neither shallow nor Pollyannaish. On the power of stories, Palmer said, “When you share your story of struggle, you offer me companionship in mine, and that’s the most powerful soul medicine I know.” In this book, he left us an impressive example of an author who walked the talk.

Published in 2018 at the age of 79, Parker took a deep look at the brokenness the best of us are bound to encounter in our own life journey: failing at things that matter to us, weariness when our efforts seem inadequate for the task at hand, regret for poor choices or mistakes we have made, anger and indignation at evil when we aspire toward non-violence and spirituality, the heartbreak of losing people we love, suffering which breaks our hearts, death and dying. These topics were presented cogently in short essays and appropriately rounded off with poems that crystallized Palmer’s personal reflections. It is a bonus that Palmer writes beautifully – both prose and poetry.

Palmer quoted frequently from Thomas Merton, his spiritual mentor, and the combination of their insight was enriching. He has inspired me to consider reading Merton in the near future. Palmer expressed strong views on the 45th president and growing concerns about the racism that is deepening in the land of the free. He wrote candidly, too, about his struggles as a writer and what it felt like to have a book never see print.

If there is one thing I learned, and this is an important lesson, it is that the wholeness of life does not reside in perfection but in embracing one’s brokenness as an integral part of life with grace and forgiveness. In other words, ‘... being human means being broken and yet whole.’ A precious thought.

He offered three ways to embrace with love the whole of who we are: reaching out to the younger generation to learn and gain energy from them, and support them on their way; moving toward what we fear, not away from it; spending time in the natural world as much as possible. The last resonated with me: ”Nature constantly reminds us that everything has a place, that nothing need be excluded. That ‘mess’ on the forest floor - like the messes in my own life - has an amazing integrity and harmony to it.”

I am tempted to quote copiously Palmer’s writing but I shall refrain in the hope that more readers will pick this book up for themselves. Lest you think this is a book better suited for people who are more mature in years, it is just as helpful for individuals in the prime of life to glimpse the full arc of life from a fellow traveler who has navigated the terrain and seen new possibilities of living life on the brink. Reading his gentle counsel and wise words is time well spent.

This is my first book by Parker Palmer and I am truly grateful to have made his acquaintance. Special thanks to my friend, Yim Harn, who loaned me her copy of this book.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am inching toward the end of my life, 71 years of age. Until I read this book, I thought I had very little to look forward to except death. Parker Palmer has CHANGED MY MIND.

Because of Palmer, I have a new way of looking at life:

-Finding my TRUE self and
-Facing my fears (Move toward whatever you fear, not away from it.)

I think just concentrating on these two ideas and where they will take me will keep me busy for a long time.

Palmer is a Quaker; I am a Catholic. Yet we share so much spiritually.

I would LOVE to attend a Palmer retreat or seminar. But he being 80 years of age, I am not sure Palmer is speaking publicly any more.

I want to share about a Catholic program I participate in. It is called Spiritual Direction. It's purpose is to meet with a trained Spiritual Director so that I, the Directee, can see where God is leading me and where He is in my life. So why I am telling you this? Because I mentioned today how much Palmer's book has meant to me. Andrea is my Director. As I started describing Palmer's book, Andrea nodded and said, you mean Parker Palmer. Palmer is a man that MANY Spiritual Directors follow, read and share with their Directees. Parker also quotes a few Catholic theologians. As you can see, I am impressed.

5 stars

[Shirley Showalter · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fierce with reality" was one of the phrases Parker Palmer recognized as his own when he read it in Florida Scott-Maxwell's book The Measure of My Days in the 1980s. At the time he was in his early forties and not yet a famous author. But he knew these words named one of his deepest desires: to become ever more real as age and experience accumulated in his life. Now that he is almost 80 years old, he has gathered up his writing, sifted through it, and offers it to his readers like a huge fruitcake, soaked in the very best rum. [This metaphor is actually stolen from a story he tells (p. 56) which caused me to laugh out loud. As always, the more serious the subject (aging and death!), the more Parker needs to laugh.}

I've read most of Parker's books at least once; so the themes of this book are not new to me. In fact, part of the fascination for this reader lies in seeing how circular the author's ideas are. I am glad that the book does not just start with the last decade of Parker's life, or the period since the last book, but instead reaches all the way back to re-shape the now-familiar narrative arc through the lens of older age -- all the youthful casting about, the discovery of paradox as a way to approach the "hidden wholeness," the midlife depressions, the angry pacifist, the connection to music (collaborating with singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer), the vital connection to younger people, people of many races and cultures, and the aspiration to die well, congruent with all the wisdom gained from living well.

Two sentences from this book should make you want to run, not walk, to the nearest bookstore to get your own copy: "When my own small life ends in some version of wind and fire, my body will be transformed by the same alchemy that keeps making all things new. . . ."

"I can't think of a more graced way to die than with the knowledge that I showed up here as my true self, as best I knew how, able to engage life freely and lovingly because I had become fierce with reality."

Like millions of readers before you, you will fall in love with words like these and with the gentle giant of a man who wrote them. But better yet, you will fall in love with your own imperfect, paradoxical, stumbling, and gracious self. You will want what he wants, and he will help you find it.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the majority of this book. By the end of the first chapter I was ready to purchase a dozen copies to give to family and friends. Through the end of chapter four it is filled with the philosophical ponderings and musings of one who has lived a rich and full life. And then...chapter five. It seems so out of place. I’m all for passionate beliefs, but this chapter was filled with rant after rant about a political figure with whom Parker vehemently disagrees. Which is fine. Thank God for our freedom to disagree. But it seemed like such a shift in the foundation of wisdom and thoughtful reflection that had been laid. Probably that chapter would have been better as a blog post. Sadly, I won’t be recommending the book or purchasing those copies to share. It was a disappointment after loving the beginning so much.

[Carmel Hanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Interesting collection of essays, thoughts and musings. Palmer is new to me but ponders much of the same things I have/do. Nearing the end of life, with mortality staring at me from the corner, it's easy to look back at one's years with a mixture of nostalgia, regret, and what might be "close to wisdom". Some of the passages that resonated:

"This is of course the ultimate temptation of Christianity! To say that Christ has locked all the doors, has given one answer, settled everything and departed, leaving all life enclosed in the frightful consistency of a system outside of which there is seriousness and damnation, inside of which there is the intolerable flippancy of the saved--while nowhere is there any place left for the mystery of the freedom of divine mercy which alone is truly serious, and worthy of being taken seriously."

"Do not depend on the hope of results...You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself."

"In fact, to believe that our spiritual lives are without contradictions is worse than faithless. It gives rise to the kind of arrogance that allows some of my coreligionists to play leading roles in the evils of racism, misogyny, homophobia, and xenophobia--even as they proclaim that every human being is created in God's image."

"There are three kinds of patriots, two mad, one good. The bad ones are the uncritical lovers and the loveless critics. Good patriots carry on the lover's quarrel with their country, a reflection of God's lover's quarrel with the world"

"Looking back, I see how the job I lost pushed me to find work that was mine to do, how the 'Road Closed' sign turned me toward terrain I'm glad I traveled, how losses that felt irredeemable forced me to find new sources of meaning. In each of these experiences, it felt as though something was dying, and so it was. Yet deep down, amid all the falling, the seeds of new life were always being silently and lavishly sown."

I can see this book generating a LOT of commentary, were it to be a group read. While I didn't agree with everything he believes, it still caused me to pause and reflect on why something landed well or poorly. Most of it landed well, but I'd still value dialoguing with a devil's advocate on some of his thoughts, because that's how I roll.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate giving a book by Parker Palmer two stars. I truly love most of his work. However, I was so put off by the format of this one I wanted to scream. Each section/chapter has an introduction that informs readers what they are about to read. I found this feature very distracting and wondered why I would even bother to read the essays/articles/poems now that I knew what was in them. It colored the entire experience for me and I took no pleasure in the book.

[Pop · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am sorrowful that I have to give this book such a low rating. I had high hopes, based on the author’s following, that I would get some encouraging message about growing old. Not, mostly just a re-run of some essays & poems he has written about his life, which is nothing like my life. He spends a lot of time admiring Thomas Merton and that’s OK, but when he got to Chapter 5 he really lost it for me. There he spent his time politically exposing his anger and hate for our 45th President. Not what I was expecting. Probably should change to 0 ⭐️s but that’s not possible so I’m changing to 1 ⭐️.

[David Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out with a very interesting premise and thoughts on aging i.e. "getting old". But soon I found that Mr. Palmer was repeating himself with his ideas and comments. The first section of the book was IMHO worth the read, but after that, it was a tough slough going to the end.
Best to check it out of the library and save yourself some $$.

[Jonna Higgins-Freese · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have tremendous respect and admiration for Parker Palmer, but this just didn't speak to my condition. I found the insights slim and the prose laborious.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

No surprise that I am grateful for Parker Palmer's new book - his writing is always worth reading, and more often than not a wonderful gift to the reader. This one is no exception: Having just finished reading it, I'm inclined to start over from the beginning right now. In any case, it will be a nice companion as I continue the journey into aging, I'm sure I will return to it often over the years.

There's a lot to love in this book, including the author's poetry, but I'm going to share my favorite take-away here, which happens to be Parker quoting an author I'd never heard of, Aubrey Menen:

"There are three things which are real: God, human folly, and laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension, so we must do what we can with the third."

Words to live by!

[Tarn Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected the book to be a cohesive reflection on aging. Instead, it's a collection of previously written work: essays, graduation speeches, poems, etc. It's a lovely little book, which ranges in topics from the writing process to handling rage against the current administration. I enjoyed spending time with Palmer at this time of his life. I rated it a four instead of a five because I had just finished re-reading Palmer's The Courage to Teach, which is richer and more unified.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I'm a fan of Palmer's past works, but this one felt exactly like the scattered compendium he thought it would be before his editor suggested the idea. A little self-congratulatory and felt very "male" to me at several points (just as I felt with Rohr's "Falling Upward"). If men listened, many women have been through some of these things way earlier in life because we've had to. Kind of disappointing, even if the topic should have been a good one.

[Belle]

I’ve been rendered starless. Not like it gets 0 stars. It’s far too valuable for that. It’s just I felt a bit tricked into reading Parker’s political agenda. For sure, I could have just quit. However interspersed in the agenda was sage and earth-shaking advice on living and loving and growing old. So I couldn’t quit. I guess I didn’t think a Quaker was political per se but he does go on record to define himself as One Mean Quaker.

There is a treasure trove of information on embracing the paradoxical life:

When we so fear the dark that we demand light around the clock, there can be only one result: artificial light that is glaring and graceless and, beyond its borders, a darkness that grows ever more terrifying as we try to hold it off. Split off from each other, neither darkness nor light is fit for human habitation. But the moment we say “Yes” to both of them and join their paradoxical dance, the two conspire to make us healthy and whole.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Note: a version of this review appears on my blog, The Generation Above Me.]

Palmer was goaded into publishing this book after his editor noted the theme of aging showing up in his recent writings. From his vantage point on "the brink" or the edge, Palmer observes: "What I know for sure is this: we come from mystery and we return to mystery. I know this, too: standing closer to the reality of death awakens my wonder at the many gifts of life" (p. 16). This book shares insights based on his growing awareness of his own mortality.

Palmer is in his 80s, and has been a community organizer, author, writer, speaker on the the topic of seeking the true self. (His work reminds me a bit of the quest that psychologist Carl Rogers describes.) Those who are concrete, literal, practical people will have very little patience for Palmer. Those who are contemplative, idealistic, and focused on exploring inner landscapes will be inspired.

The book is a collection of essays (some previously published in books or on blogs) and poetry. Some material is new. Other reviews here at Goodreads indicate that the book revisits recurring themes in Parker's work, so it seems as though it's a good overview of his work.

Palmer is a Quaker who is heavily influenced by the writings of Thomas Merton, who was a Catholic priest influenced not only by Christianity but Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and Sufism. Palmer does quote a bit from the Bible and from Merton as well as a number of other writers of devotional literature; however, Palmer also quotes a number literary figures, particularly poets such as cummings, Dickinson, Rilke, Rumi, Thomas, Wordsworth, Yeats.

Palmer values the act of writing as a means of discovery, and he quotes a number of writers about the process being as important (if not more important) than the process. He explains, "I write because I was born baffled. . . . So my approach to writing is simple: I find something that baffles me, write enought to peel back the first layer of my not-knowing--at which point I find another bafflement, then another, and keep writing until I've gone as far as I can, certain that eventually I'll find another layer of mystery beneath the last one I explored" (p. 94).

The most salient theme of his work is this: accepting wholeness means embracing both the good side and the dark side of our natures. Palmer shares his struggle with depression by explaining that he has had three major depressive episodes as well as facing dead ends in his career and reckoning with the fall out from some "bad decisions." Some of his greatest insights have emerged after these difficulties. Palmer acknowledges that some are contemplative by intention. However, he is contemplative by catastrophe: "My wake-up calls generally come after the wreck has happened and I'm trying to dig my way out of debris....Catastrophe, too, can be a contemplative path, pitched and perilous as it may be" (p. 59).

I do want to alert readers that Palmer steps aside in chapter 5 from his usual personal, internal journeys to make pointed commentary about the 45th president of the US. Palmer is upset, and he wrestles with his anger on the page. He's trying to work out a way to respond that is productive and life affirming, and he's having a difficult time. He also talks about trying to confront the racist ideas that he has internalized and explore how he can challenge the white supremacy that saturates a lot of American institutions. These passages are awkward but courageous. He opens himself up to criticism by trying to talk about race where most people would avoid the taboo. Some readers might be put off about his political comments, but I do think it still fits the book's themes about transforming the self. Even though chapter 5 is more tension-filled, I am glad that I read it.

Palmer concludes with images from nature about the cycle of life and describes his strategies for approaching death. This is where Palmer displays the most vulnerability and lyricism. I wish him well as he continue to lives on the brink, and I hope he will send more dispatches from this vantage point.

[Caety · Rating 2 out of 5]

My favorite statement in the book: “I don’t want to fight the gravity of aging. It’s nature’s way. I want to collaborate with it as best I can, in hopes of going down with something like the grace of that setting sun. For all the wrinkles and worry lines, it’s a lovely thing simply to be one of those who’s lived long enough to say, ‘I’m getting old.’”

The first 4 chapters and several spots later in the book were lots of writings about Parker's perception of aging, including the depression he suffered. I enjoyed his perception and how he managed through those moments in his life.

Beginning with chapter 5, Parker introduces his "hate" of our 45th President (I'm not a fan of 45), but I would hope that Parker's life lessons could have tempered his writings about dealing with someone in power in a better way. I'm all for standing up for our views and passions, but I'm not crazy about spurning hate.

[Alyssa Foll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be Parker Palmer at his finest. This short book, a collection of essays but with chapter introductions, is Palmer's opportunity to speak of aging, legacy, and wisdom. I appreciated his focus and intentionality on generativity as opposed to stagnation as well as how he is still practicing opening his heart (apparently one's heart does not magically stay open even in one's eighth decade) to suffering and joy.
I was glad to have purchased my own copy because similar to his other works, it is a book I will return to time and time again.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughtful scholarship. More an homage to Thomas Merton than anything else. Too much on America’s current crisis of identity for my taste but certainly some pithy points on acceptance of self. One whole chapter on what it means to be a writer which is worthwhile for any aspiring writer. His real point was that everyone should have an avocation beyond just a career but that message might have been lost on the non-writing reader.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of recent essays on variety of topics. I was most moved by his unflinching commitment to stay involved in both the outer and inner worlds.

[Magdelanye · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're all headed that way, of course, even when we're young, though most of us are too busy with Important Matters to ponder our mortality, p1
Once I understand that I am not the sun, I can get out of the sun's way and stop casting casting shadows.p21
"...on the edge you can see all kinds of things you can't see from the center." p3 Kurt Vonnegut

For an old white Quaker guy who writes about aging and ethics, PJP gets it in its modern context.

Reality may be hard, but it's a safer place to live than our illusions, which will always fail us, and at no point is that more true than old age. Death is, after all, the end of our illusions- so why not do what we can to lose our illusions before death strips us of them? We are less likely to die disappointed or in despair. p54

The first thing he challenges is the idea that the alarming withering that comes with age need be an insurmountable impediment to staying engaged with the world. He quotes William Blake:
Though leaves are many, the root is one;
Through all the lying days of my youth
I swayed my leaves and flowers in the sun;
Now may I wither into the truth p22

There is a satisfying amount of poetry in the book, some of it by Parker. Like his prose, his poems are vigorous and make the most of juxtaposition and placement of words. And like the books title, his unreserved enthusiasm for life contains a boundless optimism.

History is full of tragically failed visions of possibility....Concentrate not on the results, but on the values, the rightness of the truth itself. p70

This of necessity involves a clear examination of the shadow, ours and of the dominant culture. It involves dropping well worn defences and facing the guilt and shame that come with the realization of our own complicity and sense of entitlement. It means taking the risk of stepping out of the comfort zone that keeps us locked in old routines.

Clinging to what you already know is the path to an unlived life. p45
More than fearing the cost of taking risks for the things I care about, I fear aging into subservience to the worst impulses in and around me....Those of us who are available should be raising hell on behalf of what we care about. p25

In addition to his social justice agenda, PJP has collaborated with country singer Carrie Newcomer to get his message to those who might have taken a miss on the book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDL66... You can listen while reading, as I am while writing this review. If I was nervous about evangelical connotations on discovering that PJP has a huge following and many books, any reservations I maintain are negligible in the face of the enjoyment I took in his simple, down to earth, kick-ass radical words.

Let's remind each other that the planet cries for all of us to contribute our personal gifts- whatever they may be-to the common good. Let's make a pact of mutual support to begin again. p113

[Lesa Engelthaler · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you care about your world, read this book. Like many folks, I am overwhelmed by the children on the border crisis, especially because I am a Texan and it is my own border that is not taking care of them. I have been down to McAllen once but there truly seems like there is not much one person can do. In our Texas heat, every day I fill up the bird bath in my backyard. I have become obsessed with making sure it is full. I smile (or cry) when I see the blue jays and sparrows splashing or the pesky squirrel drinking from it. Then I read this sentence from Parker Palmer's On The Brink of Everything, “We all live at the intersection of our small worlds and the big one around us. If we want to serve others, we must attend to both.” Bingo! This is it. This is me, my small world bird bath and the big world border crisis all smashed together. So now, when I fill up my bird bath I pray for the children and I am reassured because God reassures that he cares for them as much as he cares for my sparrows.

[Kari Yergin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Cara Devine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked a good portion of it but it became a bit preachy and redundant toward the last 50 pages.

[Sheila Cronin]

Almost Sunday morning reading except for politics.

[Janae Mast · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems to me he is a little all over the place when it comes to his view of God and his practice of religion, and the book did feel repetitive at times. But I found it helpful and thoughtful and a good read for processing getting older - for me and those around me.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book very slowly since it was so full of interesting insights that I didn't want to miss any. Mr. Palmer has a way with words. He makes you sit up and take notice of what he is saying. Mostly about spiritual life, it is also about growing old and dealing with the end of life. Once you hit a certain age, many of your good friends start dying so you cannot escape thinking about your own end of life. It can be frightening to do so. Mr. Palmer used a phrase in the middle of a sentence that included a list of things that are present in the world whether we like it or not. The list included racial discrimination to give an example, but also included the phrase "contempt for the poor". I had never heard this concept before and it shocked me, so I asked my daughter what it could mean. She had a good answer which shocked me even more since I was unaware that anyone felt this way. I understood the term "kitchen klutz" right away since I suffer from the same malady. Mostly I found the book reassuring and, in several essays quite enlightening, but challenging throughout.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is certainly a different type of book on aging. Parker Palmer, a Quaker, generally comes across as a gentle soul, but his hot-blooded convictions emerge in unexpected, yet rather agreeably feisty ways.

To over-summarize, he rebukes older folks for settling and wants voices heard, and intergenerational needs met. There is work to be done at the local, national, and global arenas. Part of this message is very contemplative and some is a cry for people to wake up and pay attention to what is happening politically.

Provides much to think about by a well-educated and spiritual man and teacher.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this in the mail the same day that the Supreme Court decided to uphold Trump's Muslim ban. I decided to allow myself an entire day of reading these essays from one of my favorite wise elders. On page 60 I found this statement, “When we feel certain that the human soul is no longer at work in the world, it’s time to make sure that ours is visible to someone, somewhere.” It was what I needed to hear.

Many of these essays are from Palmer's On Being column; however, they are worth a reading again. It is nice to have them arranged in a theme and bound together in one book.

[Todd Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this is the first Palmer book I have read I feel like this is not really a book. It seems more like a book about books/poems, a rant about how much he hates President Trump and how he deals with it as a Quaker (sort of), and a collection of extra stuff he had laying around. Some of the morsels were good but I had to sift through a lot of ramblings to get there.
If you are not familiar with Palmer I would not start here.
If you are and you enjoy his work I bet you will feel right at home and get all of the inside stuff.

[Verla Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a big fan of Palmer's more celebrated book, LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK. However, this book disappoints. It felt like his editors had been urging him to write another book as he turned 80, he couldn't think of anything to write about, so they strung together a series of talks he had given, along with some poetry (his and others) and gave it an interesting title. It's heavy on the value of contemplation and reflecting on your life as he reflects on his. But it wasn't compelling.