THE VIEWS OF SENIOR CITIZENS
It is time for introspection
Life after 65 plus is a transition period in one’s life and it should be
viewed as the time for introspection, for studying the pattern and conditions
in society in a dispassionate manner.
Simply eating and enjoying the life with all possible sense pleasures is
not the best way of leading life after 65
plus.
It is necessary to search for a meaning for all human activities. One of
the great advantages of retirement is the extended leisure time, when one can
introspect leisurely and this period should be utilized well.
Continue active life
Even as one would introspect, life after 65 need not be the typical
Vanaprastha stage, which our ancestors envisioned and when the elderly persons remained
withdrawn and isolated. On the other hand, it could be very productive and
enjoyable. As Chevalier said, growing old is not so bad when you consider the
alternative.
The 2nd verse of Isa Vasya Upanishad says that in this world,
one should desire to live 100 years and perform actions everyday . Everyone
must use his / her body as an instrument to work and through work create
beauty, wealth and welfare outside and moral and spiritual values within.
After 65 plus, one need not withdraw from activities .On the other hand,
one should become even more active by being involved in positive pursuits, that
would be moral, ethical and would serve the cause of the society, particularly
the under privileged.
Let there be a feeling of `Acceptance’
While one should retrospect and at the same time remain active, the big
question after 65 plus is to how to be reasonably happy with the loss of
importance, with that loneliness, with those aches & pains and with those
financial constraints in some cases ,
The answer in one word is ACCEPTANCE.
The cornerstone of a happy retired life lies in the cognitive adoption
of acceptance. One should perceive
things differently after 65 plus with
positive attitude.
Let us recall the prayer of the philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr. This is one advice we should remember every
day as we brush our teeth or clean our dentures. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage
to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference”.
It would be wonderful to watch the shadow of evening lengthen around, if
there would be matured attitude of acceptance. It will take the person in a
direction leading to the joy of giving and the blossoming of higher values such
as love, kindness, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness and altruism.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna assures Arjuna. “Our mind has the
propensity to be our dearest friend as well as our worst enemy. Therefore, why
not utilize it to uplift ourselves out of material darkness and get into
spiritual light?” .
Let the fire be rekindled
After 65, one is entering a different phase of life. It is as if
one is starting the life with a clean slate all over again, with the
added strength of over 60 years’ experience of life.
After 65, one have the knowledge of peaks and sloughs of life, its
problems and solutions and the strategies and methods to manage them. This knowledge should be utilized to rekindle
the fire within and lead life of wisdom.
Danger of unplanned entry into 65 plus
As someone said, the tragedy of life is that we get old too soon and
become wise too late.
Any unplanned entry into senior citizenship is likely to cause immense
stress even if one is entitled to a pension after quitting formal employment.
The preparation for post 65 years, therefore, should start at least 10
years in advance, both by way of planning and steady development of mind set of acceptance and wisdom.
Pleasure of living in family / company
First and foremost, the aged should not suffer loneliness or solitary
confinement but should strive to find company within their age group.
The life after 65 need to be lived in one’s family atmosphere whether it
is with the parents who may be in advanced age themselves or in the proximity
of one’s children. Or at least in a
social circle friendly to one’s temperament.
The emotional bondage and health that such an atmosphere creates and
which is essential for the life will not be achievable in any other setting.
Shared joys are doubled, shared sorrows are halved, shared hurts are
healed. Mutual love and respect extend
one’s life and enable living with acceptance and enthusiasm to lead active
life.
Fear not death
Life is a comedy of errors and it is much ado about nothing . It struts
and frets signifying nothing. So living
shorter period or longer period brings one to nothing.
There is no need to fear death, Death is a great leveler. It is the cure for all issues . Think that in death we start a new
journey. It is the ultimate adventure in
life.
This awareness, a realization that we are spiritual beings experiencing
human life and the realization of human limitations will go a long way in
overcoming the fear of death.
Prognosis
Circumstances may bring about isolation, immobility or other challenges
to be faced by some senior citizens. It
is up to the individual to manage lives with dexterity and make optimal use of
life.
Living by clinging on to the past achievements and glories and refusing
to see the present reality are major contributory factors for isolation and
harbouring a feeling of neglect and in extreme cases even leading to
depression.
Some with balding heads may feel happy with less hair to comb, but some
may worry about washing a long face resulting out of receding hair line.
You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt, as young as your
self-confidence, as old as your fear and
as young as your hope.
*****
(Courtesy: Nandhini Voice for the deprived)
No comments:
Post a Comment