As I have often mentioned in my blog, being close to nature and connecting with family and friends both give me a spiritual boost.  I visited a cherished family friend on her beautiful property yesterday.  It was a perfect day for a visit.  I turned onto her drive and off in the distance I could see this picturesque little pond with sun glitter reflecting off the water.  I hopped out of my car, looked up and the sky was a brilliant blue against the pine trees.  There was a warm gentle breeze blowing and birds were chirping in the distance.  It was a meditative moment!  Stop and reflect in nature.

Spirituality is important at all stages of life and the authors of The Okinawa Program make the observation that spirituality in the lives of older Okinawan women have led to the following benefits:

• Stress relief
• Social connection
• Enhanced self-esteem, life satisfaction, and ego integrity
• Coping mechanism
• Respected role in society

I believe that if your spoke with different groups at different ages, those with strong spiritual connections find many of these same benefits.