Old
Age
Sir,
This has
the reference of the write up '3 phases
of old by Shri OP Modi published in DE of
Sept. 1 2002. The writer has given useful
hints for encountering old age like
scheduling one's activities to suit old
age, living in the present, focussing on
spiritual health and sitting bath.
Firstly it is important to fix the start
point of old age. The writer says that it
is 50 years of age. This is as per the
Indian way of living the life span of 100
years when one becomes eligible to enter
the Vanaprastha Ashrama. The Govt. of
India calls one a senior citizen when he
has attained the age of 65 years. The
Americans do not call any one old until
he is 65 years of age. The Americans
divide higher age into three parks. From
65 to 75 years one is young old. From 75
to 85 years one is old and from 85 to 95
years one is old & old.
Let us
have a look on the Indian statistics on
old age. 75 percent of people above 60
years of age suffer from old age related
diseases. 50 percent of old people face
economic problems out of which 40 percent
live below poverty line. 40 percent of
old people are not well treated by their
children specially the daughters-in-law.
Perhaps the daughters-in-law are taking
revenge on the treatment given by
mothers-in-law on their joining the
husband's family. 50 percent of old
people feel extremely lonely in old age.
These figures indicate that old age is
not that pleasant as it should be in
India. In India old people remain
depressed in most cases due to lack of
financial support. Our Govt. depends
heavily on NGO's to ease out old age
difficulties.
There are
also instances when old people having
financial support also feel neglected in
home and outside. Such people require to
perfect the art of using their leisure
time so that they do not feel neglected.
The feeling of neglect may be due to the
feeling of loneliness. Loneliness comes
out of a State of mind when one is not
living life fully and purposefully. Being
lonely is miserable when no one wants to
meet or talk to them. The loneliness has
to be converted into aloneness where one
has so much to do as per his choices on
the hobby which he has cultivated in old
age. Being alone in contrast with
loneliness gives satisfaction and such
person delights in one's own self. For
those who do not have any particular
interest or cannot develop any particular
hobby in old age they must make now
friends to avoid loneliness.
Certain
amount of physical or body ailments are
unavoidable for most of old people. Body
ailments drag the mind to the body
especially of those who are sensitive.
Such ailments cause fear of disease which
leads on to anxiety or even depression.
The best course for such a condition is
to follow the doctor's advice so that
body health is not neglected.
One
positive thing is that doctor's advice
regulates one's life. A regulated life is
a disciplined life. When bodily problems
cause anxiety it is advisable to
strengthen one's mind so that it
radicates beauty of wisdom lying dormant
within.
In old age
one should practise non-dependence on
others. An old person should do his own
work to the extent possible rather than
troubling the family members to work to
meet out his personal needs. If one
depends entirely on God the dependence on
humans will decrease. Old people must
make use of their experience, wisdom and
good judgement so that people come and
seek your advice or even approach you for
your company. But do not give advice
unsought or unasked. If you give advice
on your own it amounts to finding fault
with others which makes you unweighted.
Then one should be natural in old age. Or
be yourself in old age. One should stay
at one's age, living truthfully and
contributing towards the welfare of the
society. We all are capable of helping
others within our small resources.
In the
article quoted above, the writer has
talked about spiritual health. Spiritual
health is only possible when one starts
practising non attachment. The Indian way
of life emphasises on detachment or non
attachment which is the main foundation
of our two Ashrama Dharma which are
Vanaprastha and Sanyasa Ashramas. In the
present time there is no need to go to
secluded places and one must build his
own house on the basis of Vanaprastha and
Sanyasa Ashrma. Building own house simply
on higher values of life like
truthfulness, detachment peace, love and
other divine qualities. First acquire a
religious outlook and then convert the
religious out look into a spiritual
outlook when you consider others as your
own.
With a
spiritual outlook you do not permit
meaninglessness and freedom to creep in
your old age.
Yours
etc...
Lt. Col. R K Langar
Shastrinagar, Jammu.
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