With time on hand, make the most of your senior years. | Photo credit: Getty Images
As we grow older, we tend to lose health, both mentally and physically. It’s happening slowly but surely. At first it was barely noticeable, but it became very noticeable as I progressed.
We begin to long for the strong healthy body that once belonged to us, but no longer exists. We opened the fridge door and stood there, trying to remember what we wanted from the icebox, racking our heads for several minutes to no avail.
Later, maybe before we go to bed, we realize that it’s actually the faded old jeans that we’re about to hand over to the maid’s grandkids that have made us stand in front of the refrigerator for eons instead of the wardrobe.
Be independent
With all its flaws, old age is also the most relaxing phase of life, provided you can be financially and emotionally independent, at least to some extent. So, what remains is how to, as the cliché goes, “age gracefully”?
As a cancer survivor, I learned a few tricks to bend life to my desires while fighting the crab relentlessly. Some coping tricks include indulging in your favorite hobbies.
A bibliophile and music aficionado all my life, I started to spend more time reading and writing and listening to music. This is not easy either. When I can’t hold a book or sit still for a while, I listen to audiobooks and apps to listen to my favorite books. This custom continues to this day. I have found it very useful in my old age.
Another calming and soothing technique is listening to music. A lot of conversations are happening right now about music therapy. Hospitals have started using music as therapy for patients to help them relax, heal and reduce their anxiety levels.
Another cathartic exercise for me is cooking. Yes, it is very productive that I keep cooking for myself and my partner even on some difficult days. My kitchen is always full of music. I start the day with some devotional music while I decorate my front yard with Kolam or Rangoli, whatever name you will call it.
Always interested in drawing and painting, I take my own time and spend some “me time” drawing intricate patterns as my imagination will incite me to do, with the fresh morning air beating on my face while beautiful, melodious devotional music fills the air.
Coping mechanisms
Of course, my aching, aching knees would signal me to stop my madness. I call this a coping technique that keeps my body relaxed and my mind happy.
As the day progresses, when I am not reading or writing, I will listen to music in some form. When it comes to music, language doesn’t matter. I listen to all forms of music in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and English, the four languages ​​I know. Sometimes I even listen to Rabindra Sangeet, even though I barely understand Bangla.
In addition, another very important mechanism that will help parents is a good sense of humor. Don’t we all love older aunts and uncles who are full of smiles and ready to joke more than old people with drooping faces and a fierce look? I learned a lot about his wise and funny humor from my father who died in his nineties. When waking my reluctant cousin from his nap in the morning, he would joke, “I hope we’ll be lucky today that the sun sets at noon.”
In fact, our language is full of funny sayings that are useful for us at any time.
Well, a little coping mechanism and philosophy can help us in the sunny years. The most important philosophy is Latin Carpe Diemwhich roughly means seizing the day or taking the day. Live in the moment consciously, enjoying whatever is around you – be it a little bird, a flower, a cloud, a butterfly or a plate of lunch. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy while you can. No one knows how old we are, maybe we feel like we left high school yesterday.
Don’t worry, grab today as long as you can and make it yourself.
Glad there’s no rat race to chase now.
Doubly happy that we don’t have to hit the target because our kids are sweating every day.
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