From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

Brooks argues that love is the key to unlocking happiness. He notes, however, that the English language lacks words to describe different kinds of love. He compares this to Greek, which has different words for a variety of types of love. One such word is agape, referring to the love humans have for the divine. Agape is the focus of Chapter 7, in which he discusses a turn toward spirituality in midlife.

In Chapter 7, Brooks discusses the transitions people have through different life stages as taught by the Indian philosophy of ashramas. The term ashrama refers to the various life stages, each of which has a specific term of its own. Brooks is interested in the third stage, during which people turn toward a spiritual life beginning in middle age. (See vanaprastha below.)

Psychologists use this term to describe the love between partners in which they are each other’s best friend as well as lover. It is based on more than passion, namely things like “stable affection, mutual understanding, and commitment” (125). Compassionate love transcends normal friendship because of the long-term commitment involved. Notably, it is this type of love that leads to satisfaction and happiness.