Our Elders
Keep them happy and healthy,
comfortable though not necessarily wealthy
Keep them active and always value them
Encourage independence and sensitively use them
Love them and support them as they decline
And when their time is ripe,
let them go, with the dignity they deserve
for peaceful and permanent recline.
By Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale
A picture aptly complementing the poetic advice that follows - thank you Mahen- you are a man of many talents.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, We are the elderly now !! You obviously didn't forget this fact when you gave the title "Our Elderly" to your poem.
Thank you for sharing your talents with us again.
Thanks Rohini. Always appreciate your comments. To be creative and mentally active is a crucial ingredient for happy ageing, as we all know.
ReplyDeleteThe photo looks no different from my own with Heberden's nodes, knarled skin and prominent veins. A poem most appropriate. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy friend suffers from Gout,who needs, therapy for his malady.
ReplyDeleteRuined his health,by over indulgence in women&wine.
Currently,undergoing "ZETA RAY",therapy,discovered by a Srilankan Doc,while experimenting on photo-coagulation therapy.
Has sold the patentee to an unknown company.
Will,my friend get a chance?to see our Expert,Speedy,expert on Gerontology,with a Surname,sounds farangi.
Good luck my friend
Identify yourself by friend!
DeleteHey!,my friend Speedy,
ReplyDeletehaving,you,around is handy
That chap needs a remedy,
for his chronic malady,
binging too much brandy,
made his a real randy,
please be kind to our,dandy.
Cheers,
Good old,Alheimer.
Hi Anonymous! We'd love to see your face
ReplyDeleteYou write with such panache plus grace
Are you a member of our batch?
If so, you are a perfect match
To contribute to our blog, It's true!
Welcome to Colombo medgrads 1962
from Zita
Hi Mahendra! That first comment was for 'Anonymous' but this one is to say that what you've written about 'Our Elders' is timely and appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI like the last advice too i.e. to let them go when the time is ripe. I like this particularly as I myself have felt to be in this group lately, with my joint problems and memory loss among other age related things. 'Zeta ray therapy' won't touch it. Any suggestions from batch mates will be welcome.
Zita
My advice as always is to be as physically active as possible, don't feel old but be aware of your limitations and avoid doing things which are not safe, be equally mentally active, never lose your curiosity and thirst for knowledge, stop accumulating and instead enjoy giving, associate with people with positive attitudes, associate with younger people who make you feel valued, get a good nights sleep, have daily goals and "to-do-lists", don' t visualize al, the possible bad scenarios that could befall you as chances are that they are highly unlikely to happen and don't be afraid of death as it comes to all of us eventually and nerve ever lose your sense of humour !
ReplyDeleteNow, honestly, those are real pearls! Thanks, Mahendra! I really hope to put them to practice. I cannot agree with you more, about 'thirst for knowledge' and 'stop accumulating and instead enjoy giving'! You are spot on! This is something that would just make life worth living at any age but particularly at one's old age. And how did you know that we older ones 'cook up' all sorts of unlikely scenarios and worry over nothing? This is something I have to actively practise. i.e. stop worrying unnecessarily about near and dear ones and irrationally imagining all sorts of nasty things. We can also spread that message among our neighbours and similar age friends. One of my older friends said to me, on my saying 'when troublesome thoughts come' she suddenly interrupted me and said, when troublesome thoughts come, start 'conscious breathing' taking long time to inspire and also to let out the breath. So now we have many good practices to work on. Thanks a lot for this timely message. Zita
ReplyDelete