We can tell the signs of old age when we see one - forgetfulness, slow in reflexes, failing eye-sights and hearings, and some would add grumpiness (as in; a "grumpy old man") and long-windedness (as in; you're more "loh soh" then my grandma").
But there are other obnoxious signs of old age which I've experienced personally. You know you've reached a certain age (ok, the right phrase is "growing old") when you're faced with the following:
1. You find your son towering over you, and each time you reprimand him for his wrongdoing, you have to get him to sit down.
2. You start getting frequent emails from the HR department, announcing the retirement of fellow colleagues - a sign that you and your co-workers have slowly, but surely become part of the aging-workforce.
3. You are green with envy when you see housing estates, but yours, embarking on the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). And when your estate finally get the LUP, your euphoria lasted all but 5 minutes for it suddenly dawns on you that the LUP is really conceptualized to prepare us Singaporeans for a population that is fast aging.
4. You get wedding invitations from your colleagues. Problem is, it's NOT the wedding of your colleagues; but that of their sons and daughters. (Chai, thanks for the invitation. And for making me and many of your colleagues realise how "old" we have become): ))
I know I've just penned a post on "Growing Old Gracefully". No, I've no hung up when it comes to growing old. And though I can be quite "vain", I'm certainly not afraid of aging (for goodness sake, I'm just 41++!!). But really, come to think of it, a lifetime is really short, even if one were to life till 70. It's been said that aging is inevitable; but growing old is optional. I'm still trying to figure out what "optional" means. To adopt a more "adventurous" and "fun" outlook in life? How does one roller-blade at 60? Or bangee-jump? Do we really have an option? And how so? When all signs are telling and reminding us how "old" we've become?
Category: Musings
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6 comments:
chris, u r NOT old ok. men are born lucky, they reach their prime at 40! 男人四十一条龙 i'm sure u heard b4 rite...pity us women, go downhill at 30. when we're 40, become sour prune oredi! which is why i prefer men who are many years older than me hehe...so we won't look like older sis holding younger bro's hand when we go out hehe
anyway chris, i juz saw that u read books by richard templar? my friend juz recommended me a book by him, called 'rules of life' & 'rules of work' i think, if i'm not wrong. i'm keen to buy that...hv u read them b4?
I alway thot old people who try to psyche themselves into feeling young are just burying their heads in the sand.
When you cannot read your papers without reading glasses, when your knees creak when your squat down etc etc. No amount of self-delusion can drive those away.
Evan, you always choose not to add the other half of a full sentence. Just like when you wrote in your blog "To err is human". Whatever happened to "To forgive devine?"
男人四十一条龙? 其实是一条虫！哈哈！
So, you like older men, huh? [wink wink].. Just kidding, Evan.. LOL.
About books by Richard Templar. I only read that book of his, "I don't want any more chees". That book is written as a contrast to the other book, "Who moved my cheese" by Spencer Johnson. Both are books about self-motivation and how to live with changes, the only constant in our lives. Have not read "rules of life and "rules of work", though. My take is that books that teach us about "life" and "work" is always a good read :))
Chun See - That's the physical aspect of growing old. I've met younger people whose outlook in life are "older" than the many "laudies". They are so passive in life I hardly they they exist sometimes. On the contrary, the "oldies" are just so full of zest in life, that they just want to be in part of every action. I see lots of both extreme in the office. And it's the laudies, like Victor, that I admire most. No, I don't think they are in self-denial when it comes to age. Perhaps they treasure every second more, knowing that life is ticking quickly away. They believe in "seizing the moment", I guess.
Evan, Chris doesn't need to wait till this age to feel like 男人四十一条龙 - Chris was born in the Year of the Dragon, LOL. So the secret is finally out - you like older men (we always thought so since you seem to like stalking uncles and grampas, haha).
Chris, why suddenly this preoccupation or should I say, even obsession about growing old? Another sure sign of growing old - the many 'typing' errors as evident in your post - 'eye-sights and hearings' instead of 'eyesight and hearing; 'hung up' instead of 'hang up'; 'bangee jump' instead of 'bungee jump' and so on.
Frankly, it is quite easy for anyone above the age of 13 to tower over you, not just your son, LOL. And did you read Kenny Sia lately? If the old man of nearly 80 could run the 42 km marathon with a smile, what makes you think you can't do all those things you think only a young man can? And besides, you are only 41 year-young, LOL.
chris, i don't study alot, so i always never finish my sentences coz i dunno how! lol...i'm pretty uneducated ya'know.
yes, my answer to both gentlemen is, i love older men. whats wrong with that? i've been like this since young. when i was 12, i almost never hv crushes on boys below 17. and when i was 22, i love men who are 42. and of coz now that i'm 27, i love men who are 50! ROTFL!!!!!!
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