Dear friends,

This is Alline at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.

In eleven days I’ll turn 65. I’ve been thinking a lot about growing older and the many choices ahead of me. I’ve been reading about how, along with longevity, loneliness is rising. How do I find a meaningful place (or places) for myself as I age?

Earlier this evening I turned on HBOMax and, over a scene of waves on beautiful beaches, I heard Anthony Bourdain’s famous gravelly voice saying this:

“It is considered useful and enlightening and therapeutic to think about death for a few minutes a day. What actually happens to my physical remains is of zero interest to me. I don’t want anybody seeing my body, I don’t want a party. “Reported dead” [is what I want]. Unless it could provide entertainment value … in a perverse or subversive way. Throw me into a wood chipper and punch, you know, spray me into Harrod’s in the middle of rush hour, that would be pretty epic. I wouldn’t mind being remembered in that way.”
- From “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain"

Hmmm…Clearly, Anthony Bourdain had figured out what worked for him. I, however, am looking for solutions beyond a wood chipper. Also: I’m very curious about how I’m going to live my life for the next 10, 15, maybe even 25 years. I find myself wondering: will I be able to age in place here at Dancing Rabbit? How can I continue to contribute? Will I have exhausted my social capital before I reach the end of my road? Will my two-story wood-heated home still work for me when I’m 75 or 80? How do I prepare for the needs and the unknowns? What are my reasons for being alive, what are my priorities?

If you are someone who’s getting older as time passes (ahem - yes, that’s everyone), these questions might be on your mind as well. How do we find answers, and take the steps necessary to be sure we aren’t stuck in a situation that we really don’t want to be in when we reach the end of our road? What a perfect time for the newly created Aging Gracefully in Community course. In it, the Foundation for Intentional Community has brought together five passionate and experienced instructors to unpack both the challenges and opportunities of, just as the course title suggests, aging in community.

Intentional communities offer a radically different approach to the journey of becoming older. Contrasted with the typical retirement community, an intentional community can provide a culture that centers on:

• Elderhood
• Intergenerational relationships
• Thoughtful design
• Empowerment
• Care for the whole person

In this course you’ll learn about the many variations of senior cohousing, explore the concept of eldering, and discuss the dynamics that impact aging in community. The classes are as interactive as you are comfortable with.

The instructors are thoughtful, compassionate, and knowledgeable. With their support, you’ll get an opportunity to examine the realities of getting older and the often unexplored topic of dying in community. You might just discover some things that bring you clarity and confidence as we each reckon with our finite time in this human body.

I invite you to join us. The first ever offering of this course begins next Tuesday, June 21. Scholarships are available. Take a look at the course outline.

If you have any questions drop me an email at [email protected]. Let’s find solutions together! I look forward to seeing you soon.

In community,
Alline Anderson

PS. Yes, pictured above is Danielle Williams, Executive Director of Dancing Rabbit’s non-profit CSCC, and me. We have the honor of leading the fourth session, and would love to have you join us!