Some of the older emerging sages describe their civic involvements in terms of “commitment” and “responsibility,” but many at the younger end of the age spectrum talk about the sheer enjoyment of the work they are doing. Csikszentmihalyi labels this the process of “flow,” the incredible joy to be found in taking on and learning from a new challenge. While many of the senior sage leaders become civically involved in order to find stimulation and meaning in their lives, most emerging sages are already highly stimulated: they juggle family, job, recreation, and civic involvement, and they don’t need more incentive. Yet they seek it out and find “flow” in these activities. One wonders if this pattern of multiple sources of flow will help these men and women to lead longer and healthier lives. Perhaps engagement in civic activities is beneficial to one’s health at virtually any age.
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