Getting old

Source : Google photo

Synopsis : We all get old unless our life is cut short due to other reasons but most of us fail to prepare ourselves for the old age when we need help and companions. The blog looks what needs to be done.

One thing that is sure in life is getting old at least for most of the humanity. Some look forward to it and start preparing for it when they are young. It means you must have the financial security to see you through all your needs in old age that may be mostly health related but may include a rent free house or a house fully paid.

It may mean you should have the where withal to indulge in all the activities that you had put off when you were busy working, earning and hopefully saving. It could mean travel all over the world to see all the places you wanted to see before you croak. It could mean taking your lovely wife with you to see your kids and grand kids who may be living far away or even in other countries.

However , this scenario does not hold true for most of the world population in countries that are still in the process of developing and where most old people do not have much savings and depend on their children to look after them. It is very hard to save anything for the future if your earnings are small and enough just to cover the basic needs of food,clothing and shelter . You are lucky if you have raised good kids, paid for their education and even for their marriage and still managed to live within your means.

In some countries like Japan, India and Korea, old people take great pride in not borrowing money to pay for the expenses so they tend to be great savers and are not beholden to anyone. To pay for a house, raise your kids and their education, marriage and healthcare including your your own and still remain debt free is a source of pride in any one no matter where you live.

People who do not save get into trouble when time comes to meet unexpected expenses so most people still depend on their kids who are working and earning so that they can help. I have met many old people in India who have retired long ago and just wait for their life to be over with some dignity still intact. Their small pension if they have is not enough to pay for all they want to do. If they have some kind of health insurance , they get some help when they are sick but the vast majority of people do not have any kind of insurance so what can they do when they are sick and need a lot of medical care that needs a lot of money?

So today I bring to you a very nice power point that explains what your philosophy in your old age should be and how you can spend your remaining days in peace and good mental health that are essential even if you are poor so pay attention to these words and reflect on them to see how they affect you. Money does not solve all the problems although it surely helps a great deal.

I have heard of people who work 18 hours a day to pay for their lavish life style, fancy cars and mega mansions that they do not get a chance to enjoy and drop dead soon after retirement. The retirement should not be a time for regrets and melancholy thoughts.It should be a time for reflection on how your life turned out or did not turn out the way you wanted and what you could teach the next generation.

If you spent most of your time earning money and did not have any time for your kids and family when they were silently crying out for your love and attention but got instead some gifts or some gadgets they did not need, you my friend have not spent your time in this world well.

One day we should all be able to say that I enjoyed my life and spent my time well on this earth by sharing it with people I love and care for.

On your epitaph someone will inscribe the words " So and so died in the year of our Lord etc. who was born year - died year." So how you lived your dash matters more than how long you have lived.

Power point on Old age philosophy

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Link : https://1drv.ms/p/s!AmoX9W4gHulzknfrK5zB-z2Tqn_v

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