Who do you intend to be? Will you finish well?
I recently read Walter Wright’s most recent book The Third Third of Life: Preparing for Your Future. Wright is the former President of Regent College in Vancouver. Wright suggest that one’s life can be divided into thirds.
“I like to think of life in thirds. The first third (one to thirty) we spend in incubation, education, preparation, exploring identity and purpose, intimacy, and relationships. The second third (thirty to sixty) is dominated by family and work: we define our core relationships and commit to a career path. The third third (sixty to ninety) encounters the unexplored terrain of life after the working career.” (p 9)
The book explores the “third third” of life. You may not be there yet. Before you stop reading, however, you might note this paragraph:
“Planning for the third third of life draws heavily on the first two thirds. Who we have become is the result of a lifetime of learning, work, and relationships. Who we will be is a choice that builds on this foundation. Preparing for the future is not a uniquely third third concern. It is an agenda for life.” (p. 114)
Given these realities, who do you intend to be? Will you finish well? What you are doing right now really does matter. Your habits and practices really do impact your future.
Consider:
1. Given the investment you are presently making in your marriage, what might it be like in the third third of life?
2. Given your habits regarding prayer, Scripture reading and other disciplines, how might the third third of life be impacted?
3. Given how you are presently treating your body, what could you possibly expect in the third third of life?
4. Given the investment that you are making (or not making) in friendships, what could you expect in the third third of life?
Suggestions:
Consider three areas of your life that need positive investment. Maybe you need to begin exercising. Perhaps you need to be more attentive to your spouse. Perhaps you are spending too much time on social media.
Again, think about three areas in which you would like grow. Take small intentional steps today in these three areas. Think about the kind of person that you would like to become as a result. Know that any movement, no matter how small, is still positive change.
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