Something to Live For Finding Your Way in the Second Half of Life

The meaning of life is a life of meaning, and having something to live for is one of the most critical determinants of vital aging and well-being. Something to Live For draws upon the metaphor of a safari to show how the second half of life can be a journey of discovery. Leider and Shapiro explore this truth through four lessons-Authenticity, Meaning, Compassion and Legacy-which are, in fact, the core challenges facing people in the second half of life. The authors begin by exploring the nature of transition in the second half of life and how to make sense of life's inevitable changes and losses. They then answer the question that all of us face at some point: "What is the purpose of aging?" They deal with the issue of balance, helping readers figure out how to "put their whole selves in" to situations and causes about which they are passionate while at the same time maintaining a sense of balance with relationships that matter most to them. Finally, they explore the legacy we are leaving and investigate what Andrew Weil calls "the ethical will"-the purpose, values, stories, and truths that we bequeath to the next generation.

Richard J. Leider is a founding partner of the Inventure Group. Forbes magazine named Leider one of the most respected coaches in America David A. Shapiro is a philosopher, educator, and writer. He is a tenured faculty member in philosophy at Cascadia Community College in Bothell, Washington