Author Bob Buford wrote three books about the importance of thoughtfully and prayerfully transitioning from the first, to the second half of life. His first book Half Time, contrasted the first half of life as a journey focused on success, with the second half of life as being focused on the search for deeper meaning, significance and a personal mission to serve God. His next book Beyond Halftime, was a Q and A session where Buford offered guidance and personally addressed many questions presented by Half Time readers as they considered second half of life calling, challenges, and planning. In this third and final book Finishing Well, Buford selected 60 individuals for second half of life discussions about their Buford explores the various challenges, wisdom and insights offered by those he believed had tackled the challenges of moving into the second half of life and had wisdom to share about navigating the journey.
Our Human Desire for Meaning
At a first glance these books can feel as though they were only intended for an audience of Type-A achievers, or those who have accumulated significant financial wealth by mid-life and are now asking themselves, what’s next? That said, I found the reading offered an interesting look at the common ground of our human desire for meaning and how each of us chooses to define success and significance. For the author and those sharing their stories, achieving great financial success did not satisfy their desire for deeper meaning, sharing their gifts and giving back. Regardless of what we do for a living or how visible our work might be in terms of public profile or status, we all share a deep desire for meaning, to know our lives have held significance for ourselves and for others. The stories in these books reveal the connected human struggle, inspirations, and process of looking for that meaning in the second half of life, and share different creative pathways for exploring the journey. These experiences and lessons can be applied to any walk of life, especially when seen through the eyes of faith, service to others, and transformation.
