• Society
  • Foundation
    • (866) 928-1635
    • Contact
    • Donate
    • About
    • Locations
    Good Samaritan Society
    • Home
    • Services
      • Home Health Care
      • Rehab/skilled care
      • Senior living
    • Resources
      • Advocacy
      • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
      • Faith
      • Family caregivers
      • Finances
      • Health
      • Memory care
      • Relationships
      • Senior care & services
    • Our stories
    • Careers
  • Society
  • Foundation
  • Good Samaritan Society
    • Call
    • Toggle Nav Toggle Nav Toggle Nav Menu
    Good Samaritan Society
    • Home
      • Services
      • Home Health Care
      • Rehab/skilled care
      • Senior living
      • Resources
      • Advocacy
      • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
      • Faith
      • Family caregivers
      • Finances
      • Health
      • Memory care
      • Relationships
      • Senior care & services
      • Our stories
      • Careers
      • About
      • Newsroom
      • History
      • Spiritual well-being
      • Leadership
      • Volunteer
      • Project Outreach
      • Physicians
      • Annual report
      • Pharmacy services
      • Newsletter
    • Locations
    • (866) 928-1635
    • Contact
    • Donate
    • Advocacy
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Faith
    • Family caregivers
    • Finances
    • Health
    • Memory care
    • Relationships
    • Senior care & services
    Resources
    • Home
    • Resources
    • Spiritual lessons from life’s trail

    Get email updates

    E-News

    Learn more about the Good Samaritan Society.

    Resources

    • Advocacy
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Faith
    • Family caregivers
    • Finances
    • Health
    • Memory care
    • Relationships
    • Senior care & services

    Popular Keywords

    • volunteering
    • support
    • senior housing
    • retirement
    • rehab therapy
    • prayer
    • motivational
    • mental health
    • loneliness
    • home care
    • guideposts
    • family
    • employee
    • devotional
    • dementia
    • conversations
    • caregiver
    • Impact stories
    • COVID-19
    • Alzheimers

    Spiritual lessons from life’s trail

    Join discussion Share
    • Category: Faith
    • Keywords:
      • devotional
      • guideposts
      • active retirement
    • Comments: 0
    • Posted: 8/23/2018

    “I love the life lessons that Steve Scarano (Guideposts, September 2018) learned during his seasons as a trail angel,” says Cullen Woods, chaplain at Good Samaritan Society – Manzano del Sol Village in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A serious mountain biker, Woods, 65, has tackled plenty of trails himself, and he believes Scarano’s lessons have spiritual resonance, particularly for people in retirement.

    Say “thank you.”

    Cullen says he thinks the trail is an apt metaphor for life, as Christianity was originally referred to as the way and early believers were known as followers of the way. “We are pilgrims as we move through life,” all of us travelers on a journey to a holy place, says Cullen. “Gratitude is really important on our pilgrimage. Gratitude for this life. For this day. For the breath we have right now. Once we have gratitude, we see even the breath itself as a gift.”

    A lot of stuff you just don’t need.

    “As we transition into retirement, we find things that used to seem important no longer are,” Cullen says. “There may be ideas and biases we need to get rid of. Sometimes we have to let our children go and say, ‘They’re on their own.’ Sometimes we have problems and codependencies to give up. This life stage is more about weeding out things that hold us back and abiding in faith, living in a relationship with the divine.”

    Some stuff you do need.

    “Some of the stuff we need we might not have yet,” Cullen says. “Qualities such as patience, for instance. A sense of humor. Humility.” He notes that “being open to new ideas, new people, new relationships” makes a big difference. Cullen saw something inspiring one day outside his office door: five people of different socioeconomic, ethnic and educational backgrounds, who would have never connected before, engaged in genuine conversation. “I felt I had a picture of heaven,” he says.

    Putting one foot in front of the other may be better than seeing the big picture.

    “To me, the commandments are in present tense for a reason,” says Cullen. “As the Alcoholics Anonymous saying reminds us, one day at a time is all we’ve got. If we think too far ahead, we miss today.”

    Hike your own hike.

    “That means respecting your direction in life and respecting those of others too,” Woods says. “You meet different people on life’s trail. They may not be going the same direction you are. They may turn around and go back. But at that moment, you get to enjoy the trail with them.”

    Do you find strength in encouraging words from other Christians?

    You're welcome to attend our daily devotions anytime.

    Watch video devotions
    • Share

    Related articles

    • The Ultimate Gift
    • Therapy horse unlocks memories [video]
    • The power in acceptance The power in acceptance

    Comments

    The help you need, when and where you need it.

    Finding care Find a location
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Instagram

    CareersDonatePay bill

    Contact us

    National Campus
    4800 W 57th St
    Sioux Falls, SD 57108

    Phone
    (866) 928-1635

    Email
    Contact

    Good Samaritan Society ®

    National Campus
    4800 W 57th St
    Sioux Falls, SD 57108

    Phone
    (866) 928-1635

    • Privacy and Terms
    • Links
    • Physicians
    • Pharmacists
    • Citrix login
    • Referral partners
    • Employees
    • Pay bill

    The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (the Society) and Owner comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws. We do not discriminate against any person on the grounds of race, color, national origin, disability, familial status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status or other protected statuses except as permitted by applicable law, in admission to, participation in, or receipt of the services and benefits under any of its programs and activities, and in staff and employee assignments to individuals, whether carried out by the Society directly or through a contractor or any other entity with which the Society arranges to carry out its programs and activities. The designated person responsible for coordinating efforts to comply with Section 504 requirements is: Director of Affordable Housing, Property Management, 4800 W. 57th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57108; phone: (605) 362-3100. For telecommunications relay service dial 711. All faiths or beliefs are welcome.

    The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation), genetic information, age, marital or familial status, disability, veteran status, or other protected status. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society is a 501(c)(3) public charity.

    Notice of Nondiscrimination and Accessibility Requirements

    © 2021 The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. All rights reserved.

    Equal Housing Opportunity