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I hear the word resurrection and my mind goes immediately to my Christian upbringing and Jesus Christ. “He was crucified, dead and buried. The 3rd day he rose from the DEAD. He ascended into HEAVEN…” The Apostle’s Creed I had memorized for my rite of passage known as confirmation drove this idea deep into my psyche.

I BELIEVED resurrection was reserved for the holiest. Resurrection was ASCENSION to this place I learned was called HEAVEN. HEAVEN in my mind, was a supernatural, maybe imaginary physical location ABOVE the earth. “HMMMM”….I wondered if astronauts saw heaven when they traveled in outer space?

As I get older and peel away layers of conditioning I catch glimpses of someone I’ve always known. I am still there, the same spirit, soul, being I have always been.

The years of conditioning had taught me to stay quiet. I had learned to try to “fit in”. I had learned to be NICE above all. Be GOOD above all. BEHAVE above all. Don’t make a spectacle, call attention to, or embarrass myself and those around me in my wake.

Each command, each RULE shrouded my light. Sometimes, but rarely, that light would shine out through the shroud. Sometimes, if the shroud was ripped away by extreme joy, anger, or too much alcohol, my LIGHT, my TRUTH would shine through. Then, I would pull back, and retreat in shame. I would punish myself for my behavior and SWEAR never to let that happen again.

Things are different now. I still have pangs of fear when my pen writes things that I fear will be judged. I also know my pen has a direct line to what I now call SOURCE.

I have written about DEATH on several occasions. Some people have reacted to my use of the word. Their reactions are varied, but I sense they equate the word DEATH with physical death of the body. The thing we all know is coming. The thing we all know is we’re not supposed to resist. The thing we don’t WANT to accept, but know we must.

RESURRECTION literally means to RISE AGAIN. Is that NOT what I’m talking about in Graceing Agefully™? Is that NOT what I’m saying when I say the MISSION of Graceing Agefully™ is to change the CULTURE of aging? The answer is YES. That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Rising again in the second half.

The DEATH I am referring to is ALLOWING the shroud that has covered my light to DIE. The shroud is many layers. Each one must die to fully UN-cover, DIS-cover, and RE-cover the TRUTH of ME.

So, back to RESURRECTION. As I rise again, I ASCEND. After all, that is another word for RISE. Rising above the conditioning is FREEDOM.

As my light shines through the dying shroud, I feel FREE. I feel JOY. I feel WHOLE.

THIS is HEAVEN.

This is Graceing Agefully™

Watch my recent TED X Talk: Stop Trying- Start Living Here