Growing older, we tend to lose our health, both mental and physical. It happens slowly but surely. Hardly noticeable at first, but menacingly conspicuous as time progresses.
We start yearning for the strong healthy body which was ours once, but no longer so. We open the fridge door and stand there, trying to recollect what it was that we wanted from the ice box, racking our head for minutes together with no result. Later, maybe just before going to bed, it dawns on us that actually it was for the old faded jeans which we wanted to hand over to the maid’s grandson that made us stand before the fridge for aeons instead of the clothes cupboard.
Being independent With all its infirmities, old age is also the most relaxing phase of life, provided one is financially and emotionally independent at least to some extent. So what remains is how exactly does one, as the cliché goes, “age gracefully”? As a cancer survivor, I learned a few tricks of bending life to my wishes while fighting the crab relentlessly. Some of my coping tricks included indulging in my favourite hobbies.
A bibliophile and a music aficionado all my life, I started spending more time reading and writing and listening to music. This was also not easy. When I couldn’t hold a book or sit straight for some time, I listened to audio books and apps to listen to my favourite books.
This habit continues even now. I have found it extremely useful in my old age. Another very peaceful and lively coping technique is listening to music.
Much conversation happens these days about music therapy. Hospitals have started using music as a therapy on patients for helping them relax, heal and lower anxiety levels. Another very cathartic exercise for me is cooking.
Yes, it is so very productive that I keep cooking for myself and my partner even on some tough days. My kitchen is always brimming with music. I start the day with some devotional music while I decorate my front yard with Kolam or Rangoli, whatever name you would call it.
Always interested in drawing and painting, I take my own time and spend some “me time” drawing intricate patterns as my imagination will incite me to do, with fresh morning air beating on my face while beautiful, melodious devotional music fills the air. Coping mechanism Of course, my buckling knees and aching back will be signalling me to stop my madness now and then. I call this my coping technique which leaves me with a weak body and a happy mind.
As the day progresses, when I am not reading or writing, I will be listening to music in some form. When it comes to music, language hardly matters. I listen to all forms of music in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and English, the four languages I know.
Sometimes I even listen to Rabindra Sangeet, though I can hardly understand any Bangla. Apart from these, another very important coping mechanism that will help senior citizens is a good sense of humour. Don’t we all love more that old uncle and aunty who are full of smiles and ready to crack a joke than those oldies with a hung face and stern look? I learned a lot of this wise and witty humour from my dad who died in his nineties.
While waking up my reluctant brother from his sleepy self in the morning, he would quip, “Let us hope we would be lucky enough today to have the sun set in the noon.” In fact, our languages are full of witty proverbs that come handy to us at any point of time. Well these coping mechanisms and a little bit of philosophy can help us a lot in our sunset years.
The most important philosophy will be the Latin Carpe Diem , which roughly means to seize the day or pluck the day. Live in the moment consciously, joyfully enjoying whatever is around you — be it a small bird, flower, cloud, butterfly or your plate of lunch. Relish it, adore it, enjoy it while you can.
Nobody knows how we got so old, we may feel it was only yesterday we left our high schools. Never mind, seize this day while it lasts and make it your own. Be happy that there are no rat races to chase right now.
Be doubly happy that we don’t have to meet any target as our children are sweating it out for that every single day. [email protected] Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit.
