Eloge a la vieillesse | PRAISE TO OLD AGE


vieillesse

Bertrand Russell wrote in his 1975 essay ''How to grow old'': psychologically there are two dangers to be guarded against in old age. One of these is undue absorption in the past. It does not do to live in memories, in regrets for the good old days, or in the sadness about friends who are dead. One's thoughts must be directed to the future, and to things about which there is something to be done. So much more can be said of old age, I wish it were all good but there is also some bad in it.


Sure we can say that In youth we run into difficulties. In old age difficulties run into us and Is it not true that about  the only thing that comes to us without effort is old age.
And here are two people who do not make me feel good by what they said.
One is Tolstoy: ''Old fortresses are destroyed, monuments to kings are  demolished, old age ravages our bodies. Only the teachings of kindness are never ruined or affected by age.''.
The other is Solomon Ibn Gabirol:'' Learning in old age is like writing on sand; learning in youth is like engraving on stone''.

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To be closer to reality, I will use a tangible example.
I have belonged to a gym club for about five years. And since day one. I noticed that all the members were rather old. This didn't disturb me at all. Today, they are all a little bit older, and by the way, me too, though with my seventy years I remain one of the youngest ones.
We just celebrated the 90th birthday of one of them, while the head of our group to whom you would give 70 is 85.
In other words, it seems that exercises and assiduity keeps the individual young and in shape.
I go to this club five days a week from 10am to noon and get out of it every time refreshed and feeling rejuvenated. Is this the right formula?

S'il y avait un but a notre vie, qu'est-il devenu? Peut- être ne connaissions nous pas ce but et c'est pourquoi nous nous perdons en conflits, en carence de communication en désintéressement d'autrui. Car cet autrui, aujourd'hui, qui est-ilà Qui s'en occupe? Le monde s'en fout. C'est donc la mon point, sinon ma raison de partir.

Demain, je n'aurai plus ce souci. Je serai seul avec moi même et ne m'inquiéterai plus de personne. .Je sens déjà ma satisfaction. Entre autres, celle de la délusion de rêves inaccomplis. Finies les misères communes, la maladie, les mauvaises nouvelles, les désappointements. Fini le futur incertain. Je n'aurai plus besoin de plaire à personne. J'oublierai la sagesse qu'il m'a tant plus d'acquérir toutes ces années. Cette sagesse qui m'aurait permis de mieux comprendre le monde, de mieux l'apprécier. Mais demain finiront les impulsions de mon cœur et de mon esprit. Ils seront tous deux au repos et je suis persuadé que cela leur fera du bien après tant de divagations et de discernement.

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And talking about reality, it is Erasmus that comes to mind for he didn't mince his words to tell us what he thinks of the old people:''They only differ by the wrinkles and the number of years. Light hair, a mouth without teeth, tiny body, a taste for milk, mumbling, silliness, loss of memory, thoughtlessness, everything reconciles them and the more old age advanced, the more this likeness is accentuated until the hour when we get out of the days, incapable like children, to regret life and smell death.
He certainly read Seneca who said:''At last, here comes the obtrusive old age, in charge of itself as to others and that no one could endure… 

And before I finish  I wish to throw helter-skelter few smatterings that may please some by their originality. Such as

Et pourtant, jetons un coup d'œil sur Israël et voyons combien le monde le sous estime.

Nous avons la, un pays qui en moins de soixante ans a fait plus que d'autre en mille ans.

Le miracle qu'est Israël ne semble pas avoir atteint tous les esprits.

Saviez-vous qu'Israël aujourd'hui a le plus haut taux de longévité au monde? Malgré tous les malheurs qui le frappent quotidiennement, Israël a la joie de vivre et ses habitants sont parmi les plus heureux au monde. Et croyez moi, ce n'est pas chose facile.

Ce petit pays de quelques sept millions d'habitants a bouleversé le monde de par ses technologies dans tous les domaines. Du militaire à l'électronique, de l'agriculture à la science, de la recherche à la médecine, Israël est aujourd'hui un leader mondial, et avec tout cela on le hait.

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  • Getting old is to go from passion to compassion
  • Getting old is the best way to live longer
  • We all wish to live to be old but refuse to be so.
  • The youngsters are in groups, adults in couples, the old ones are alone
  • In the eyes of a young one shines the flame. In the eyes of the old one shines the light.
  • The initiative of the young ones is worth as much as the experience of the old ones.

And if we believe that old age causes us a feeling of anger, contempt, even injustice, then this word of André Gide is most appropriate.
''a book of indignations is the best insurance against old age''.

 

Lecteur, si tu as un commentaire, une idée, une suggestion, s'il te plait communique la moi à Jacques@SagesseOuEsTu.com