A new awareness..

Last week when we were in Singapore mum and I decided to travel by MRT as it was faster and cheaper.When we entered it was packed as usual but more so with the holiday crowd>We had to stand.Then suddenly a gentleman stood up and offered me his seat.I was quite surprised and told mum to sit instead.Suddenly it dawned on us that the seat was offered to us because we are senior citizens.Wow ! A sudden realization. I have never thought that I'm indeed a senior .I work like the rest of the younger people,lead an active life,playing golf and eating what I want to eat and driving up and down.I'm financially independent and most important enjoy the blessings of good health.Age is actually a number and you are as old as you feel.Being still economically productive I am not like other seniors my age or as we call them young seniors who basically have nothing to do other than to take their morning walks ,yam cha, read their newspapers ,have their naps and then nag nag nag at whosoever comes their way be it wife ,children or grandchildren. I have always loved to challenge existing paradigms that once you are past 60 you have to retire,lead a sedentary life and basically wait to go..At 71 I can still do a good day's work, go to the driving range and hit more than 100 balls and play a couple of decent rounds of golf each week.More importantly I have have my mental capacity with me and can remember things better than some of the younger people.Age is actually a mental state ,you are as old as you think you are and it takes the right mind set to put aside your age factor and live life as you would . However we cannot deny the fact that age is catching up and your body is sending you little signals like the body aches which come with exercise and the subtle changes in your lifestyle.Eating habits for example change,in our younger days we could go for 2 or 3 plates of rice and the spicier the food the better.Today the need for rice is reduced to like a 3/4 plate and not so much spicy food. Attitude and outlook have also changed.We mellow with age and with the combination of age and experience it would take something very serious to upset us.We have acquired the habit of watching things happen and only give our opinion when asked for.It ha s become clear that the children are grown up and are capable of making their own decisions.Old people must learn how to behave as they should , be there for the younger people but do not be imposing or demanding.The younger generation cannot tolerate "interference ". As seniors we must always have a certain code of behaviour which can earn us the respect of the younger people and be aware that respect is earned not demanded and neither is it a right.Gone are the days when parents can tell the younger ones"I'm your parent, you have to listen'.Values and outlooks have changed and so must our thinking. It feels good to have gone through so many years of life and the experiences acquired along the way are indeed priceless and something which we can be grateful for.