by Duncan Rinehart, PhD
Growing old brings many gifts. Among those gifts can be a shift in perspective towards the deeper meaning and purpose of one’s life. It is a shift towards greater depth; depth in relationships, depth in connection to one’s spiritual beliefs, depth in one’s understanding of what it means to be human.
But what is depth? As an experiment, this post will offer one senior citizen’s attempt to capture depth in words. Then it will offer an AI (Artificial Intelligence) explanation of depth which was generated after the senior wrote his version. You decide which is better, if it matters, and what depth is for you.
One Senior Citizen’s response “What is depth?”
By the time we become seniors, we have all suffered losses and have pain and grief. Hopefully by the time we become seniors, we have all also experienced moments of great joy, unlimited and overwhelming love, and deep serenity-peace. Loss and pain and grief and tears are universal human experiences. All of us suffer. All of us have deep fear. All of us have tears. Seeking greater depth opens us up to this, allows us to share our very real unpolished, undefended humanness. Depth allows us to heal or complete the journey of our lives.
And life is not all misery and suffering. Depth also brings us the opportunity to experience compassion, joy, and a deep stillness that is peace. Depth allows us to share and grow into these as well. Depth stands in contrast to how many of us live most of our lives, meeting the needs of others and the responsibilities of our roles in society (father, mother, employee, manager, etc.) Depth stands in contrast to our usual interactions (talking about the weather, our aches and pains, the news, etc.)
When we are interacting through greater depth there is an unpracticed authenticity, a fully here and now presence, a genuine and humble humanness. Perhaps the highest and best expression of humanness is experiencing and acting through compassion. And compassion comes with opening to our suffering, the suffering of others, and those experiences however brief of deep love. Compassion, our best humanness, comes through greater depth.
As we go deeper, we relax our defenses and we lower the masks that we usually wear so that our real self becomes more visible and present. As we go deeper, we get closer to our hearts, our intuition, our souls. We become more honest with ourselves and with others. Depth is connection within us. And between us, it is heart to heart, soul to soul, real self to real self.
ChatGPT’s response to “What is depth?” (generated on January 5, 2025)
Depth, in a broader sense, refers to a quality of profound understanding or insight, often built over time through experience, reflection, and growth. It’s not just about surface-level knowledge or appearances, but about the layers of meaning, feeling, and awareness that exist beneath the surface. Depth involves an ability to perceive and appreciate complexity, subtlety, and nuance in life.
Here are a few key ways depth can manifest:
1. Emotional Depth
Emotional depth refers to a person’s ability to feel, understand, and process a wide range of emotions in an insightful way. It goes beyond just experiencing feelings—it involves reflecting on them, understanding their roots, and using that awareness to engage with life more fully. Someone with emotional depth might approach challenges with empathy, understand the complexities of relationships, or show resilience in the face of adversity.
2. Intellectual Depth
Intellectual depth is the ability to think critically, question assumptions, and seek a deeper understanding of ideas or subjects. It’s a form of thinking that doesn’t settle for superficial answers but digs into complexities, contradictions, and deeper truths. This might involve exploring the nuances of a topic or recognizing the broader implications of an idea.
3. Philosophical Depth
This refers to the ability to consider life’s big questions—about purpose, existence, morality, and meaning. Philosophical depth comes from thinking deeply about life’s mysteries and seeking to understand not just what happens, but why it happens, and what it all means. It’s often about asking fundamental questions and being open to the complexity and ambiguity of the answers.
4. Spiritual Depth
Spiritual depth is an inner awareness of life’s larger forces or meanings, often rooted in a sense of connection to something greater than oneself. It may be expressed through religion, personal belief systems, or a deep sense of peace, mindfulness, or interconnectedness. A person with spiritual depth has an understanding of life’s impermanence and often seeks meaning and growth through practices like meditation, prayer, or reflection.
5. Experiential Depth
Depth can also come from lived experiences. Over time, people accumulate experiences that shape their understanding of life, the world, and themselves. This type of depth grows from learning from mistakes, facing challenges, and observing life through different lenses. The depth gained through experience is often more intuitive than intellectual, but just as powerful.
6. Relational Depth
This is the ability to understand and engage deeply with others. Relational depth comes from building trust, sharing vulnerabilities, and truly connecting with another person. It’s about quality over quantity in relationships, and it often involves a profound understanding of someone else's feelings, thoughts, and experiences.
7. Narrative Depth
Life itself has depth when we begin to see our own story in a larger context. This might involve understanding our personal history, seeing how our past experiences shape our present, and how they inform our future. It’s the depth that comes from telling and retelling our life story with meaning, integrating various chapters into a cohesive understanding of who we are.
8. Cultural and Social Depth
This refers to understanding the complexities of different cultures, societies, and histories. It involves seeing beyond stereotypes and appreciating the richness and diversity of human life. People with cultural depth may understand how history shapes present events, how societal structures influence behavior, and how different perspectives can lead to a deeper appreciation of human experiences.
Closing comments by the senior citizen
Greater depth is one of the gifts that can come with age. ChatGPT does seem to get that. As you age, I hope you find greater depth – whatever that means for you. And if it matters, you decide which description of depth is better.