It is unfortunate that we take a lot of trouble for the
education and settlement of our wards, their marriage, house construction,
vehicle and many such things. We do so so that the next generation could lead a
comfortable life. We are so worried for the next generation that we often
forget ourselves. By the time one realizes this great miss, he has become old
and diseased. Now the fate has dictated him to remain bed-bound and live the
rest of life on medical care, if fortunate to have that. This pathetic state of
affairs is there because he did not plan his post-retirement life.
Side by side with running the home and hearth, one can easily
keep the safety valve working for the looming rainy days. The first requirement
is to remain financially viable in the old age. If you have no pension, you are
bound to build up with small savings a fund which may come to your rescue after
retirement. If you have business, don’t be liberal to leave the entire earning
in the hands of the issues. I have seen instances when the sons and their wives
have chased away the empty handed parents. In the posh area of Delhi, named
Defence colony, a widow was living in her spacious house and her son was
settled in the States. Once the son came and convinced the mother to sell out
this property and shift to States to live with him. She did accordingly. On
departure, he asked the mother to wait on the main gate and himself secretly
flew away. Now one can imagine the plight of that homeless old lady.
Next priority goes to health. In the struggle period, if one
ignored his health, he will not only undergo endless physical miseries but will
also end up being an agonizing liability for the family members. I have heard
the family members wishing death for him. If a young man in the family or
neighbourhood dies, people would, indicating about the old man, say that the
death should have come to him. Hearing such piercing comments amounts to
unbearably humiliation. Once one is of 40, he should remain conscious in
advance to keep fit so that the family members did not suffer.
Old age is a period when one loses his utility and nobody
wants to sit by his side and listen to him. It happens so with the individuals
who did not plan to face old age. So, one should never say goodbye to
creativity. He should definitely have some hobby or creative expertise which
may keep him free of boredome. If he has knowledge of mythology, knows basics
of music, has touch of penmanship, has interest in social work so and so forth,
people will seek his company and the life will remain worth living. He should
avoid being jealous, hateful, quarrelsome and non-cooperative. Instead cordial
relations with kiths and kins and neighbours make life easy and liveable.
These tit bits are not new which generally educated people
are not aware of. Most of them follow them. But myself being in mid-70s, I have
given a waking call to them who are yet to realize this naked truth of old age.
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