Our elders have been through the wringer so they’ve a lot to teach us. I have two friends that are 89 years old and surprisingly I love to spend time with elderly people rather than children. Memories of spending time with my grandfather when he was still alive still linger with me. Our family had a collective habit of visiting my grandpa every weekend. Later on, I started to visit him myself and I still cherish the time we shared. I’ll never forget how my grandfather supported me when I was getting divorced years ago, however, my family was putting me through the mill, I remember him saying “I don’t know why are you doing this but I support you.” His words were music to my ears.
My experience with older people has been pretty great, I have worked in a hospice, nursing homes, and retirement communities. Old age brings the reality because, at this stage of life, your role, identity, health, and cognitive ability start to dissolve, and even people you’ve known all your life disappear. I don’t intend to scare anyone but this is just a reality check. Nothing lasts forever, and this is why elderly people ask us “What will we be left with”
Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet tells us to not “go gently into that good night.” In my opinion, it depends if one wants to hit rock bottom. You can fight what’s meant to be done but the natural order will prevail. Our bodies are not in our custody neither are our fates. For suppose; you can’t stop a rainfall or you can’t reverse time. We have to understand that nature’s order is inevitable and the sooner we realize this, the more our lives will be easier.
Age is just a number and that does not limit your time to learn. We can start practicing the lessons by our elders at any time. I have come to realize the immense value and wisdom that our elders’ lessons hold and If only I had been wiser to know these life-changing lessons earlier.
Lesson No. 1: Embrace the present
Time flies so fast, you can’t relive a moment so make sure to embrace it at once. Parents know how swiftly time slips away because they’ve seen their children growing from diapers to diplomas
People often are not able to believe when they’re at the last stage of their lives and they keep asking “How could the years go by in a flash?” “It seems like just yesterday.” So relax your pace and learn to embrace the moment, because once it’s gone, it’s over.
One of my teachers, Mary Jane, who was in her 60s. I remember how lively she was about the littlest things in life. Fresh in my memory when she would notice so many subtleties on clouds, leaves on the trees, and the flutter of birds’ wings. She knew exactly how to live every moment.
Slowing down sounds great but to stop to learn cultures and complexities hindering within them is a tall order. I think one should start from scratch for example learning to meditate for a few minutes each day can be effective. Read whatever keeps you vigilant, Observe joyous people, and learn to do that, do what you long for because looking back on or gazing into the crystal ball will do nothing
You should give it a go, glance around, and feel everything, the sounds of birds, the leaves falling, the breeze blowing, and what not. Whenever someone is with you, feel the flow of life in them because you inherit the same. Make sure to seize and live every moment to its fullest
Next… Series 102: Enjoy what you’ve done, but don’t cling to them
