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Meaning, Purpose, and Midlife…



By Rachael Drew-Kinuthia

A large study in the United States found that meaning in life, or purpose, peaked at around age 60 in their participants. Additional studies help us better understand whether and why meaning in life peaks, and if it is the task of finding your life purpose that is the most challenging. During the pandemic, although it was not something we expected, it’s been an incredible opportunity for a lot of people. Some felt propelled by watching the younger generation bravely fighting for the rights we all enjoy. Many older adults found themselves either getting more involved in social activism or doing volunteer work for political and civic causes for the first time. They don’t usually want anything other than to make something happen for the community or for humanity at large. Any accolades, notoriety, or being noticed aren’t necessary to them.

Take the example of May Lee, who had been a broadcast journalist for most of her career, but in 2020 founded the Lotus Media House to focus on telling stories about the Asian and Asian American experience. Then Covid hit, and anti-Asian hate crimes began to rise causing Lee to pivot the focus of her content, speaking out against xenophobia and racism. “This wasn’t planned. This wasn’t predicted. But sometimes one is called to do something beyond one’s imagination,” she says. “That’s why I now call myself an ‘accidental activist,’ a label I wear with honor.”

That sense of using the wisdom gained in service of a larger cause is what many over fifty have been experiencing. Through numerous studies and polls a picture emerges of having found or reclaiming purpose after midlife. Aspects of the meaning and purpose formula seem to fall away as we get into our later years. Other aspects of that formula may keep rising to new heights for many. According to many health experts this brings numerous benefits to our health and well-being too. The reality stands that there are no shelves displaying prepackaged “know yourself” kits and no packs of “here’s how my life can have more meaning” to stock up on. We really have to go through the process of exploring for ourselves so we can create the meaning and purpose that nurtures us in life.

Having some degree of prosperity and privilege might make the quest for meaning easier, but the question, “What is the meaning of my life?” will end up being asked eventually. The answer often seems to require sharing whatever resources you have—time, money, and your wisdom. Our abilities are going to change. Sometimes even our views and things we care about are going to change based upon new life experiences. The flexibility needed is the key to keeping us healthy. Aging can be hardest for strivers though, according to Arthur Brooks who recently authored a new book, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. Those aforementioned strivers sometimes mourn their biggest successes being in the rearview mirror. If we continue to show compassion and concern for others, it may protect us against those kinds of feelings of meaninglessness, accord to one study. As one senior and newer activist Teresa told me, “If you’re feeling lonely, then go out and do something for somebody else. If you make a contribution to society then you’ll find a purpose greater than yourself.” There are lots of ways to do this even from home. They went on to say, “I have several friends who write letters to various organizations on a regular basis. Other friends are busy calling their congressperson and I’m starting to help others register to vote because we need to make meaningful changes during midterms.”

Still others may accept social justice causes that are meaningful to them. I admire the ways many have taken their passions for political and civic activism and turned it into a major activity in their retirement. The media typically favors pictures of Millennials and Gen Z for its stories on marches and protests. But in reality, there are plenty of protesters in their midlife and beyond. “In America, we associate activism with youth,” says Deana Rohlinger, a sociologist at Florida State University. “We often don’t see older Americans as engaged, but they are.”

Not only are they at protests and marches, but they lead the way many times at the townhalls, supporting candidates for change, creating web content, starting podcasts, mentoring, using their art or writing to raise awareness, and donating to various causes. As I wrote this, I was reading about a 76-year-old Angela Davis continuing to speak about systemic racism, intersectional feminism, and other topics which have been pushed to the mainstream thanks to renewed mobilization of the Black Lives Matter movement. As a political activist, scholar, author, and leader in the civil rights movement, Angela Davis has been fighting injustice in the United States her entire life. As she has aged, she is not the exception when it comes to activism. Senior citizen and retiree activists are out here doing more in communities even if it’s virtually or remotely. They have obviously experienced how a purpose in life can surge as we move through midlife and on to our second act!