I hope that you enjoy reading this post on the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where six of us write on the same topic. Today’s topic was chosen by Maria the gaelikaa. The five other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order, gaelikaa, Maxi, Paul, Shackman, and The Old Fossil. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, do give some allowance for that too!
Being the senior most of the LBC gang, my take is likely to be more poignant than unemotional. Unlike the young, I have little to look forward to whereas have a treasure trove of memories and recollections of so many things in the past. This sense of wonder at my past rather than the excitement of a possible future has been brought out so well by two great souls that I will never be able to write like they did.
1.
“The harvest of old age is the recollection and abundance of blessing previously secured.”
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero.
2.
“…..the opportunities to act properly, the potentialities to fulfill a meaning, are affected by the irreversibility of our lives. But also the potentialities alone are so affected. For as soon as we have used an opportunity and have actualized a potential meaning, we have done so once and for all. We have rescued it into the past, nothing is irretrievably lost, but rather, on the contrary, everything is irrevocably stored and treasured. To be sure, people tend to see only the stubble field of transitoriness but overlook and forget the full granaries of the past into which they brought the harvest of their lives: the deeds done, the loves loved, and last but not least, the sufferings they have gone through with courage and dignity.
From this one may see that there is no reason to pity old people. Instead, young people should envy them. It is true that the old have no opportunities, no possibilities in the future. But they have more than that. Instead of possibilities in the future, they have realities in the past – the potentialities that they have actualized, the meanings they have fulfilled, the values they have realized – and nothing and nobody can ever remove these assets from the past.”
~ Viktor E Frankl – Man’s Search for Meaning.
And how does one go about writing a short blog post on those assets? I shall not even try.
I’m even older than you are, and I focus more on living deeply in the present. It’s a rich life in the here and now.
Cheerful Monk recently posted..The Biggest Upset?
I do that too but do not ever forget that I am where I am today is due to my past.
You know you are old when there is more to look back on than to look forward to . Somehow , I don’t think you ( or I ) are there yet ! As for “living in the present” we all know that looking forward to something is the greater fun than actually living it !
How old are you?
Cheerful Monk recently posted..The Biggest Upset?
66
That’s still pretty young.
“…we all know that looking forward to something is the greater fun than actually living it.” I don’t think so. I like the saying “Happiness is having (1) something to love, (2) something to do, and
(3) something to look forward to.” Having something to look forward to is fun, but it’s also fun to know how to enjoy the present moment.
Cheerful Monk recently posted..Wow!
Mentally perhaps not Nandu, but physically, I am genetically programmed to go through difficulties from now on.
Difficult one. Yes, our past is secured. And a rich treasure trove. Where I disagree with Frankl (but then I don’t like pitting the old and the young against each other) there is nothing for the young “to envy the old’. The young will get there [old] too. All in good time. I hate empty well worn phrases but will make an exception in this case: Life is a journey. And it is. Some amble, some meander and some fly by the seat of their pants (that’s me), and some of us are on the fast lane. And some manage to miss the train.
As to old age: I have just emerged from my mother being one foot in the grave. It’s shaken me to the core. Now that she has her old voice, her old laughter, her old joy of life back I could cry, cry and cry with relief (obviously only within my own privacy). I am willing her to live with all my might (she’ll be 81 in a few days’ time). I damn well hope she does have a future. Because it’s my future too (not quite as selfish as it sounds). And to close the loop: She and I never tire of the past, reminiscing, anecdotes about what amounts to a very large family (on my mother’s side). Our shared past. Love it.
Was it Paul Newman who said that old age is not for sissies? It certainly isn’t. I don’t so much DREAD old age and adjacent death but the fallout.
Anyway, Ramana, instead of indulging myself in reveries: You are young (in heart and mind) and you definitely do have a future. We all do tlll we take your last breath. And none of us know when that will be.
Affectionately,
Ursula
Ursula recently posted..Mustard
I have no doubts whatsoever that I have a very pleasant future. I intend to live it to the hilt as I am blessed that I can afford to. I however understand and appreciate that it will be possible because of my past.
Hey Ramana, you have loads of things ahead. It’s only the beginning.
Maria recently posted..Recollections – LBC Post.
You bet. So many juicy young things keep popping up all over the place what?
I enjoy my recollections of things I’ve done, places I’ve been to and all the charming (and not so charming) people I’ve met. But I also enjoy looking forward to what the future might bring. I might not have many years left but extraordinary things could still happen!
nick recently posted..Cupid’s arrow
Well said and that about sums up the way I feel too.
Gosh Ramana:
My philosophy, in a nutshell, is the worn old trope: The best is yet to be.
It hasn’t let me down yet.
XO
WWW
wisewebwoman recently posted..Word
It is true for all of us WWW. It will not let us down ever.
This old git is with old Viktor on this one.
Big John recently posted..“Happy Days” … ?
But of course!