The other day, my elder brother did a 1400 km drive to and fro within a week to attend a marriage. It was a decent German car, and he had overnight stopovers both ways. He has done several long drives in the past.
Yet, this time, he was exhausted and developed severe back pain two days later.
He remarked that as he moves toward seven decades, his body is surely ageing—even if his mind still feels younger. Within me, only slightly younger, I too have started noticing that my body isn’t accepting what my mind thinks are easily doable.
The body tires sooner than it used to. And quite shockingly, I realize I am no longer able to lift heavy objects easily. Correction. Forget the word, 'easily'. I now have to push myself much harder to pull things off.
My friends and I have also been observing that we are no longer able to sustain more than one major task in a day—especially those that involve a commute—even if it is in our now-affordable, fairly comfortable, air-conditioned, automatic cars.
So I see this is a universal thing.
The difference is that earlier I knew it only in theory. Now I know it through experience.
My father, when asked about his health in his nineties, said, “Now pains don’t go away; new ones add.”
What then is this thing called “gracefully ageing”? It sounds good to hear.
But what about reality?
Knowledge—or more appropriately, wisdom—is the ultimate thing. Nothing surpasses it. Wisdom tells me this is a fact of life—as certain as the sun in the sky.
Reverse ageing is not real in any sustained way. One can postpone the inevitable, but not avoid it—except perhaps through premature death.
Wisdom says: accept the fact first.
Then complaining reduces. Pain doesn’t.
Wisdom allows us to live more smartly.
I don’t push my body the way I used to. I don't avoid use of air-conditioners at home anymore. I use them consciously, knowing that every degree I lower in my room quietly adds a fraction somewhere outside.
Wisdom tells me I can live off my savings and may not have to work for long—if I keep some restraint on expenses.
Wisdom tells me not to be bothered by the ego of people I work with, and reminds me that I don’t need one for myself.
Wisdom reveals simple acts in life.
Tasty food, a good entertaining movie, a short conversation with near and dear ones, and a few tools or boy's toys—camera, smartphone, clothes, watches—can provide meaningful, even if brief, joys.
A bit of soul-searching goes a long way.
Age with grace!
Comments