Bob (aka Robbie) Craig
63
Columbus, OH - USA
I'm intensely curious about the human condition but until recently I neglected my human condition, having lost my “self” in the identity created through my work.
An imposter (aka scared little boy in a man’s body) who found his authentic self, committed to helping others find their most authentic selves.
Bob Craig’s modern elder journey is underpinned by ‘the four C’s’ … curiosity, compassion, community and creativity. He describes himself as having transitioned into a “retired state” … but also as, “intensely busy” in his exploration of this new chapter of life.
For Bob, this tension of duality is characterized by “conflicting moments of exhilaration and insecurity.” He refuses to believe that the best is behind him… traveling purposefully towards a destination that remains unclear, while laying the groundwork to reimagine who he might still become. The themes in Bob’s story are common to the stories of many ‘emerging’ modern elders, which is one of the magical things about stories. They make us realize that we’re not alone. They connect us. But this is a story that’s also uniquely his. A work in progress that has evolved both by default and design… quietly inspirational, considered and understated, like Bob.
Bob's Tech Odyssey: Nurturing Curiosity, Innovation, and Creative Evolution
Bob’s country upbringing instilled in him an acute sense of curiosity and vigilance in his observance of how things work. Inspired by his older sister who’d graduated from college, and guided by his father who had the foresight to predict the burgeoning opportunity within computing and IT, he went to college to study information systems, a degree that fused computer science and business. Intrigued by the intersection of technology and people, Bob pursued a career in technology, that ultimately led him to become the CIO of a large US law firm with offices spread throughout the country. A role he held for 25 years.
Curiosity, compassion, community, and creativity propel me forward.
Bob reflected on one of the highlights of his career as the advent of language technologies and the opportunities that this presented to innovate in creative ways to include developing new forms of legal services to large international corporations and government agencies. Piquing his innate sense of curiosity, Bob has continued to follow these ‘crumbs of curiosity’ to explore ways to apply that same creation and creativity in new forms. Like many, Bob used to prescribe to the philosophy that some people are born creative and some are not, and only recently has he come to appreciate a more expansive definition of creativity… “that we’re all creative, it’s just a question of in what form.”
Bob's Social Justice Voyage: Weaving Diversity Through Curiosity and Connection
Tapping into that recognition and creativity has led Bob to explore ways to follow his passion for social justice and the power of relationships, by capturing and celebrating diversity in communities, using storytelling as a way to both connect and amplify messages in a meaningful and powerful way. In this transitional space between what was and what’s still to come, Bob is investing his time in exploring his passion in various areas of social justice and having exploratory conversations with different non-profits in that space. Combining creativity with curiosity and the power of relationships to make a difference.
For Bob, being a modern elder is about “finally knowing me, untainted by aspirations, attachments, approval or achievements.”
For Bob, being a modern elder is about “finally knowing me, untainted by aspirations, attachments, approval or achievements.”
For Bob, being a modern elder is about “finally knowing me, untainted by aspirations, attachments, approval or achievements.”
For Bob, being a modern elder is about “finally knowing me, untainted by aspirations, attachments, approval or achievements.”
For Bob, being a modern elder is about “finally knowing me, untainted by aspirations, attachments, approval or achievements.” It’s the constant pursuit of authentic knowledge and sharing that knowledge transparently and openly with whoever you’re in community with to add value. It’s about constantly seeking wisdom.” He credits MEA with injecting him with a sense of awe and discovery in all its forms and reconnecting him with this innate curiosity that was percolating inside him. In MEA Bob found his “curious community… a tribe of people, transparent and candid enough to admit that they don’t have all the answers… who are committed to keep growing.”
Bob's Metamorphosis: Navigating Midlife's Transformation with Creativity and Intention
Midlife is often characterised by a longing to shed an old skin and to transform into who or what we were born to be. As Bob says, “My chrysalis is hardening. I just hope I’m a butterfly and not a moth.” But it takes time and effort to become a butterfly. By giving himself the permission and the space to be both creative and intentional about this next chapter of life, Bob is embarking on a wonderful new journey surrounded and supported by the people he loves. Stripping back all the layers and allowing his own ‘imaginal cells’ to get to work to reimagine the shape of who he might become. As Sue Monk Kidd said in The Secret Life of Bees, “You gotta imagine what’s never been."
- Ang Galloway, midlife writer and MEA alumni
