We have not been here before. We are now living decades longer than our ancestors. In the West, we have an abundance of older people, but very few authentic elders.
Decenter Everything challenges our modern post-parenting dreams by proposing a radical alternative: authentic eldering through intentional decentering.
Through poetry, prose, research, and reflection I propose five domains requiring decentering: God, being heard, knowledge, death, and consumption.
For anyone sensing the hollowness of our elderless culture, here lies a provocative path to reimagining a soulful and sustainable future.
About the Author :
Australian author David Tensen brings decades of experience in pastoral care, spiritual development, and research to his writing. His poems, in four collections (2020-2022), have achieved global reach and connection with audiences of all ages - with 'The Wrestle', remains a favourite among many. But David's ability to weave words and stir hearts goes beyond poetry. In 2018, he was commissioned to write on fathering for families in China. In 2024, David released his first kid's book, 'The Kid Without A Costume'. And in 2025, his provocative manifesto, 'Decenter Everything, ' became a bestseller in three categories, including conduct of life, health and spirituality, adulthood and aging. In 2026, David and his wife will publish a book on The Blessing.
Review :
This book not only masterfully explores a vital topic, but is important to me personally. I was affirmed, but more important, deeply challenged. It called me to 'look, listen, and learn, ' and offered an invitation to be a grander, more loving presence in the world, especially as I approach the winter of my life.
Paul Young. Author The Shack
Having crossed the threshold of sixty years, my felt need for guided 'eldering' is acute. The disorientation around aging in the face of a shortening future to be expected, and I'm recognizing how the decline in health, energy, work, and potential losses (e.g., of a spouse) lurk in one's mind. I've become convinced that my capacities twenty years from now will depend on how I reorient myself today. But I needed David to suggest 'decentering' as the surprising solution for meaning-making. Decenter Everything! Who knew? I'm all in.
Bradley Jersak, Principal, St. Stephen's University. CA
In "Decenter Everything", David weaves together his insights, experience, and profound empathy, inviting us to reconsider our place in the world. He reminds us that we were never meant to be at the center, but rather to be living stones-each of us unique, yet part of a greater whole. Through this book, David guides us toward a life of deeper meaning and purpose, one that is found not in self-centredness, but in embracing our interconnectedness and our calling to support and uplift others.
Gary Grant - Senior Leader Friends First Community, Melbourne, Australia
