EVEN if I already have my dual citizenship, a Filipino and a senior citizen, and enjoying my 20 percent VAT-free discount card in so many things.
I refuse to resign myself into the senior years, because it gives me the bad thoughts that my children will just take care of me while I do nothing, or leave me all alone with my wife, or that I have nothing to contribute anymore to society than just enjoying the system benefits like regularly see movies, eat at senior-sensitive food shops, stroll the parks, or buy lotto tickets and have fun over the hope that I might hit a jackpot.
No, I am healthy, strong and productive.
So for myself, I continue to shape up, keep strong, active and productive. I keep few consultancies, counseling, training and lectures, enterprising works, travelling, hanging around for some light drinks sometimes, and motorcycle riding too. I refuse to be stressed however stressful my life is sometimes. I just enjoy life even if I have to remain in the mainstream of struggles.
In the course of my few consultancy and enterprising works, I have met so many people in their senior years, excited with life and optimistic with the future. They feel like there are still so many things they want to do and learn more.
I have a friend who is in his late 60s and still active as a big bike rider. He makes long rides every week with his buddies or by himself. He also makes use of riding to do humanitarian services in faraway poor communities. He told me that he would die tomorrow if he stops what he is doing.
I have another friend in his late 60s. After he retired from government service, he still continues his old favorite racket, real estate brokering, and that makes him so busy traveling around the island and neighboring provinces. He also makes motorcycle riding as his regular hobby.
Of course, how can I ignore a friend who in his 75 years continue to manage a small eatery? He wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and do marketing, prepare the food and native coffee with his son, and by 6 a.m. he enjoys sipping coffee while happily serving his regular customers. In between, he glues his ear and eyes on monitoring hot events of the day, including his idol Yorme Isko Moreno. Late in the afternoon, he starts playing classic and old time music with his big bluetooth speaker to the delight of his customers and friends.
My former boss, president of national microfinance and development company, was in her early 70s when she took me in. She was extremely active that she visits regularly all the branches all over the country, conduct lectures, counsel managers and employees, lead prayer service wherever she is.
They are so inspiring for having the vast experience and wisdom, and yet remain active and productive. They don’t sit for hours. They are always on the move. Their life management tells us that for as long as we are alive no matter what age, we can be productive up to our last breath.
My wife is older by a year, but many of her friends say she is as active as I am, and she refuses to get early retirement. She wants to spend it to the fullest. And what more, she plans to do better business for the family and even for our kids and apos after her retirement.
Sincerely, these are the people I love to hang around with. They are not stingy with their life lessons and are full of wisdom as well, and want to keep productive and servant for others.
They don’t complain, or talk with regrets how they lived their life, or how many times they fell and stood up, or the medicines they have to take sometimes. They don’t keep miseries, or mumble misfortunes.
An inspirational speaker said that age today is no longer just demographics, it is psychographics. Yes, it’s true. Many people in their late 50s and way into their late 60s simply refuse to grow old. They are healthier, sharp, mentally alert and excited with life.
The lesson is simple, we have to keep being inspiring for our family, children and grandchildren. We have to instill sense of being and responsibility for everyone.
As parents and seniors, we have to provide for everyone so long as we can. We should not instill a mindset and culture among our children that when they grow up and get jobs it will be their obligations to support us. We don’t even have to demand for convenience.
Parents are to provide for their children. That’s what the scriptures say. Children are to honor and love their parents, nothing more.
This is why as early as we can in our life, we have to save up for our senior years because we expect no one to support us. We rather have the strength to continue supporting ourselves and others as long as we can.
So, let us keep being productive and refuse to grow old broke.