The Melody of Life: Susan Partnow

It is extraordinary to reach this delicious age of 78 and have so many years, so many relationships, so many experiences to look back upon and harvest. Awe and wonder, radical amazement and gratitude arise. “Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy,” said Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. And Brother David Steindl-Rast teaches, today is not just any day. It’s the only day you’ve been given, and that makes it extraordinary.

What do you wish someone had told you about getting older?

I wish someone had told me that aging is not a steady decline… but a surprising unfolding. Sri Aurobindo said, “By our stumbling we are perfected.” And I know this to be true. Each stumble has taught me something essential.

To my younger self, I would say: Be a disciple to your own becoming. Angeles Arrien taught me that true discipline is not about harshness or guilt—it is about devotion, self-care, and trust.

I would also say: Be patient. Spacious. Easeful. And remember: The reward of patience is patience itself. Follow the thread of joy wherever it leads. And above all—know this: love is not background music. Love is the melody of life.

What wisdom would you share with a younger person about aging?

As the body changes and brings challenges, the inner world expands. Each day, each relationship, shines with more meaning than you can imagine when you are young.

One of my teachers, Danaan Parry, taught me: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. I am in charge of my mindset and can find peace truly in every moment.

I have taken to living by the principles of Open Space and honoring ‘The Law of Two Feet’: Take responsibility for what you love. Walk toward what nourishes you. Step away from what drains you. And hold this truth close: Wwhatever happens is the only thing that could have.

Aging comes sooner than expected. In youth, we celebrate beginnings—your first bike ride, your first bold adventure. But no one marks the endings. Your last swim across the lake. Your last ski run. The last time you lace up roller skates. We rarely know when a moment will be the last. So—cherish each one as though it were both first and last, wrapped together in mystery.

What is important to you looking ahead?

Looking ahead, I long for continued years of service, challenge, growth, and meaning. What matters most is presence—meeting each moment fully, as it is. I hope to continue my work with Global Citizen Journey. Perhaps with less raw stamina, but with greater spaciousness and wisdom, to welcome new delegates into awareness of our interconnectedness across cultures and geography.

Mentoring calls strongly to me: to share what I have learned, and to listen deeply to those in the next generation. I am grateful to serve as a mentor for new facilitators in The Compassionate Listening Project—planting seeds of healing dialogue.

And yet—more than any project, what matters most is simple, and profound: Friends. Family. Community. Relationship. Love. This is the true legacy we leave behind. Not written in our accomplishments, but in the hearts we have touched.