

417: It's Never Too Late, our 8th Anniversary Episode
Oct 5, 2025
39:24
It's never too late to look at our lives, to set out on a new path, to begin the difficult and necessary and life-giving work of changing course, of learning how to bring ourselves in a way that deepens our depth, courage, love, kindness, truthfulness and contribution. It's never too late to learn something, to teach something. It's never too late to live - even in the very last moments of our lives. This conversation, marking the 8th anniversary of Turning Towards Life, takes us into an exploration of who we humans can be to one another, especially when we pay attention, when we remember our capacities to make worlds together, and when we commit to listen to one another with kindness, truthfulness, openness and care.
This week’s conversation is hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace.
Episode Overview
00:00 Celebrating Eight Years of Turning Towards Life
05:48 Introducing the Source: Harold Schulweis
11:57 Personal Reflections on Change and Growth
17:47 The Power of Openness and Change
24:08 The Importance of Dialogue and Disagreement
29:52 Creating a World of Connection and Kindness
Here’s our source for this week:
It’s never too late
The last word has not been spoken
the last sentence has not been writ
the final verdict is not in.
It's never too late
to change my mind
my direction
to say 'no' to the past
and 'yes' to the future
to offer remorse
to ask and give forgiveness.
It is never too late
to start all over again
to feel again
to love again
to hope again.
It is never too late
to overcome despair
to turn sorrow into resolve
and pain into purpose.
It is never too late to alter my world
not by magic incantations
or manipulations of the cards
or deciphering the stars
but by opening myself
to curative forces buried within
to hidden energies
the powers in my interior self.
In sickness and in dying,
it is never too late.
Living, I teach
Dying, I teach
how to face pain and fear.
Others observe me, children, adults,
students of life and death
learn from my bearing, my posture,
my philosophy.
It is never too late -
Some word of mine,
some touch, some caress may be remembered
some gesture may play a role beyond the last
movement of my head and hand.
Write it on my epitaph
that my loved ones be consoled.
It is never too late.
Harold Shulweis
Photo by Ümit Bulut on Unsplash
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Join Us Live in 2026
Foundations of Coaching, Feb 9-10 2026, Online
Our two day introduction to the deep and wonderful way of working with people that we call 'Integral Development Coaching'.
www.wearethirdspace.org/foundations-of-coaching
Turning Towards Life Live Season 2, from March 2026
Our Turning Towards Life live programme of community, learning and reflection runs in six month seasons, in person on Zoom once a month. We're very excited about it. A chance to expand beyond the bounds of a podcast into forming a community of learning and practice.
You can find out more and join us here: www.turningtowards.life/live
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About Turning Towards Life
Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace. Find us on FaceBook to join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Amazon Music and Spotify.
Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribe
Support Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslife
People Mentioned:
This week’s conversation is hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace.
Episode Overview
00:00 Celebrating Eight Years of Turning Towards Life
05:48 Introducing the Source: Harold Schulweis
11:57 Personal Reflections on Change and Growth
17:47 The Power of Openness and Change
24:08 The Importance of Dialogue and Disagreement
29:52 Creating a World of Connection and Kindness
Here’s our source for this week:
It’s never too late
The last word has not been spoken
the last sentence has not been writ
the final verdict is not in.
It's never too late
to change my mind
my direction
to say 'no' to the past
and 'yes' to the future
to offer remorse
to ask and give forgiveness.
It is never too late
to start all over again
to feel again
to love again
to hope again.
It is never too late
to overcome despair
to turn sorrow into resolve
and pain into purpose.
It is never too late to alter my world
not by magic incantations
or manipulations of the cards
or deciphering the stars
but by opening myself
to curative forces buried within
to hidden energies
the powers in my interior self.
In sickness and in dying,
it is never too late.
Living, I teach
Dying, I teach
how to face pain and fear.
Others observe me, children, adults,
students of life and death
learn from my bearing, my posture,
my philosophy.
It is never too late -
Some word of mine,
some touch, some caress may be remembered
some gesture may play a role beyond the last
movement of my head and hand.
Write it on my epitaph
that my loved ones be consoled.
It is never too late.
Harold Shulweis
Photo by Ümit Bulut on Unsplash
---
Join Us Live in 2026
Foundations of Coaching, Feb 9-10 2026, Online
Our two day introduction to the deep and wonderful way of working with people that we call 'Integral Development Coaching'.
www.wearethirdspace.org/foundations-of-coaching
Turning Towards Life Live Season 2, from March 2026
Our Turning Towards Life live programme of community, learning and reflection runs in six month seasons, in person on Zoom once a month. We're very excited about it. A chance to expand beyond the bounds of a podcast into forming a community of learning and practice.
You can find out more and join us here: www.turningtowards.life/live
----
About Turning Towards Life
Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace. Find us on FaceBook to join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Amazon Music and Spotify.
Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribe
Support Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslife
People Mentioned:
- Rabbi Harold Shulweis
- David Whyte
- Rainer Maria Rilke
- Norman Fisher
- Mary Oliver
- Maya Stein
- Rosemary Whatola-Trommer
- Hollie Holden
- Naomi Shihab Nye
- Rebecca Solnit
- Leo Tolstoy (author of The Death of Ivan Ilyich)
Keywords:
never late, starting over, forgiveness practice, teaching presence, continuous becoming, habit remaking, interior forces, curative powers, death teaching, final verdict, life ongoingness, changing direction, opening myself, human power, world making, truthful standing, cynicism rejection, spiritual openness, destination pressure, community presence, disagreement kindness, intentional space, learning together, transformative choice, last breath
never late, starting over, forgiveness practice, teaching presence, continuous becoming, habit remaking, interior forces, curative powers, death teaching, final verdict, life ongoingness, changing direction, opening myself, human power, world making, truthful standing, cynicism rejection, spiritual openness, destination pressure, community presence, disagreement kindness, intentional space, learning together, transformative choice, last breath