This is the real “death-line” AND I am still alive: A collaborative reflexivity about life trajectories

Olga V Lehmann,Helena Hurme,Mixo Hansen

doi:10.1177/1354067x20922132

Olga V Lehmann, Helena Hurme + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067x20922132

Copy DOI

Abstract

In this article, we, Olga Lehmann, Mixo Hansen and Helena Hurme, engage in a process of collaborative reflexivity upon living, aging, and dying as we attempt to make sense of the illnesses of the last author. The companionship that emerged between us in the plurality of our identities as friends, colleagues, coauthors, and women, encouraged us to revisit aspects of the theories in developmental-cultural psychology such as (a) the process of meaning-making, (b) the equifinality model in relation to aging and dying, and (c) the notion of personal life philosophies in relation to virtues. Based on our personal experiences as well as our collaborative reflexivity as scholars, we highlight that developmental-cultural psychology could more explicitly address existential transitions, such as dying and existential givens, such as uncertainty in its theories. We present as well some preliminary integrations between existential and cultural perspectives of meaning-making.

Highlights

In this article, we, Olga Lehmann, Mixo Hansen and Helena Hurme, engage in a process of collaborative reflexivity upon living, aging, and dying as we attempt to make sense of the illnesses of the last author
Writing this article became a practice of companionship in the midst of the uncertainty of our lives. These pages are a process of collaborative reflexivity written by us: Olga Lehmann, Mixo Hansen, and Helena Hurme, in the plurality of our identities as friends, colleagues, researchers, and women
What we are suggesting theoretically, based on our process of collaborative reflexivity upon Helena Hurme’s life story, is that personal life philosophies can be a conscious narrative turn toward existential meaning-making, finding a sense of congruence among core values that transcend the ephemeral character of relationships, and life events which shape one’s biography

Summary

Introduction

We, Olga Lehmann, Mixo Hansen and Helena Hurme, engage in a process of collaborative reflexivity upon living, aging, and dying as we attempt to make sense of the illnesses of the last author. The awareness of the fragility and uncertainty of life which Helena’s story brings into scope inspires the other two authors of this article to reflect upon our own lives to build upon current perspectives in life course cultural psychology.

Results

Conclusion