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Saturday, December 18, 2004
Flavier: The parable of the long life
By Sen. Juan Flavier
THE aging farmer was the recognized and undisputed founder of the remote barrio. He settled there as a young married man and cleared the area practically alone.
Since then, the barrio had grown into a progressive village with two hundred families and a population of over a thousand. The old man was related to everyone either by blood or by marriage.
Understandably, he was the first formal leader and later the elderly statesman. No major decision was ever made without the opinion or advice of the old guru.
For years, he also served as the practical philosopher of the barrio. In matters related to right conduct and proper manners, he gave the verdict and the last word. Differences among farmers and families were adjudicated by the old man after hearing all sides.
Being an active farmer, he remained physically fit. He ate well and was never heard to complain of any aches in his body or any illness of any sorts. This lasted until he was well past seventy years old.
But when he reached his ninetieth birthday, a dramatic change occurred. He began to feel all sorts of bodily pains. First, the knees, then the elbows. Next, he complained of dryness and itching of his skin. Following these were constipation, frequent need to relieve his bladder and interrupted sleeps.
In time, people noted the old man seemed to enjoy relating his bodily problems. There was not a moment he was not griping about one part of his body or another.
Even his family members began to avoid him. They were getting tired of the constant griping over relatively minor afflictions.
One day, a grandson in college came to visit. As usual, the old man poured his heart out. Detailing each pain and muscle twitch.
The young man listened respectfully and attentively.
"Well, Lolo (Grandfather), I suppose that is the price of being over ninety years old. That's the trade-off with being blessed with that long life. You see, if you died at the age of seventy, you would not be having all these aches and pains."
(December 18, 2004 issue)
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