Missions in the Third Third of Life
Are you familiar with the “grandmother hypothesis?” The grandmother hypothesis is a theory suggesting that the lifespan of ancient women increased as a result of helping to raise and feed grandchildren. I read about this recently in a Wall Street Journal article entitled “The Health Benefits That Come From Being an Involved Grandparent.” If you are not a grandparent, keep reading because I have some thoughts for you, as well.
Marc Agronin, a geriatric psychiatrist writes about how involved grandparenting can have positive health benefits for us. He points out three key longevity factors that are impacted by being involved grandparents.
- It engenders a positive, can-do attitude as you have to roll up your sleeves to help with activities, schedules, and problem solving.
- It can bring a sense of well-being, meaning and purpose across several domains. There is the satisfaction of seeing your adult children raise their kids and the joy of interacting with grandchildren and the opportunity to pass along one’s history, knowledge, and experience to the next generations.
- It can improve physical and mental health. Being involved with our grandchildren has been associated with improved mobility, less depression, and improved cognition. I know my grandchildren keep me on my toes, literally and metaphorically.
Interestingly, there appears to be a sweet spot between too little involvement and too much involvement. Both extremes are not healthy for us. Agronin concludes his article this way… “And the good news is that the grandparent role comes in many forms today and no longer has to rely on a genetic link. Caring is the secret sauce here. In turn, the investments grandparental figures make promote a form of longevity that is gained not just for its own sake, but for a larger and nobler purpose.”
Caring is the secret sauce here! Whether you are a grandparent or not, you can care for children in the church and community. Here are three opportunities where the need is great:
- Academy 4 is a ministry to underserved 4th graders in the DFW area. This year they are moving into some Dallas and Richardson schools and need our help. One Friday a month all the 4th graders in these schools meet with their mentors for 90 minutes – 45 minutes of academics using the Academy 4 curriculum and 45 minutes of playing board games. I’ve signed up at Lipscomb Elementary in East Dallas. Do any of you want to join me? The other schools in our area are Highland Meadows and RISD Academy. Find out more information HERE.
- Elementary Ministry – Sunday mornings – We are having to turn kids away on Sundays because we don’t have enough volunteers. You can serve just one Sunday/month. Find out more information HERE.
- Elementary Ministry – Wednesday nights – I did this last year and it was great fun. You can check kids in, serve them dinner, or lead a classroom. Find our more information HERE.
One of the fun things I do here at HP Pres is lead the “Flourishing in the Third Third of Life”course. As we talk about the keys to living well in this season of life, it’s fun to see lightbulbs go on for folks about how to change the cultural narrative for these post-retirement years. I would like to invite you to join us for this six-week course. We’ll meet on Tuesday nights, Oct. 6–Nov. 10, 7–8:15 pm. This year we’ll be offering a Zoom option as well as in person. You can sign up HERE. Check out this brief video introduction to the course from Dr. Mark Roberts.
Looking for ways to care with you in the third third of life,
Steve McLean, Pastoral Fellow – Discipleship
