Accepting Ageing

When we are younger, in school and the clothes that our parents pick out for us, we just can't wait to grow up. We can't wait to go to college in fancy clothes, having fun with friends and making money. But, when we finally get there and continue moving ahead following the linear motion of time, we suddenly want to pause - we think we are inching closer to the grave.

In that spirit, here's a fun fact - Did you know that life expectancy in India, as of 2019, is 69 years of age? It means, an average Indian is expected to die at the age of 69.This is a genuine statistical report.

If we were to live our life accepting the fact that we will reach our end when we are 69, would our thought process still be the same? Even at 65, when you have possibly another 4 years to live, you are still going behind materialistic things, wanting to own land, accumulating things. You go from one doctor to another trying to fix a niggle in your heart, or a pain in the knee or back, not realising that you hardly have any time left!

Can you imagine how our thought process would change, if we accept the fact that we will drop dead when we are 69; any day beyond that of course is celebration time!

If we were to accept that we will be gone by the time we are 69, once we touch 50 we would start the countdown. You would look at life very differently, you will stop accumulating wealth, fame, etc and would look at enjoying your life. You would not complain about that stiffness in your knees in the mornings, or an occasional backache that troubles; you may not be worried about your bp or diabetes shooting up as you know it is.

You would be spending every minute of your life doing what you love, as every moment suddenly becomes precious to you! I have another 17 years to go and I have made my plans, have you?

-Dr.Manoj Kuriakose