BLOGGER
Growing old. Acupuncture session, anyone?
I attended a gathering of senior citizens lately. There, I witnessed how our lolos and lolas were having the time of their lives together. No, their fellowship isn’t our usual dose of booming hip-hop music from the sound system, conversations with the use of kolehiyala English (bastardizing the language by mixing English and Ilonggo) or moving from one seat to another in an attempt to catch the attention of the boy or girl on the back row, and more. They were a not-so-quiet bunch that’s comfortable talking in hushed tones to the person seated beside them, talking about their grand children, about rights of senior citizens and hoping that their guest, Senator Mar Roxas would already arrive.
Anyway, as they huddled together minding their own business, I was not minding mine. I was busy observing them, trying to see which of them I would be like when I’m already in my sixties or seventies (if I do reach that age). I wondered how growing old would be like for me. Then, I began texting my friends and asked them how they would view their growing old.
Aika, a student, said that we can’t avoid growing old. “All of us have gone and will go through it eventually. What make growing old exciting are the endless possibilities and opportunities.”
Leeza, a businesswoman, said that growing old means being mature in one’s state of mind. “You have proven to have surpassed the past and make it as your strength to face another tomorrow with dignity and pride.”
My dad, already a lolo, said that growing old is fun. “You have more time for leisure and sports because you’re retired. You spend more time playing with your grandchildren.”
Tyrone, a model, said that growing old is also a way of learning from mistakes, maturing through circumstances, correcting what’s wrong, accepting things and inspiring oneself. It’s a natural way of experiencing every detail of what life is all about.”
So many nice things to say about growing old. But growing old has another face.
Last year, Christine, an acquaintance told me that she does not want to grow old. She told me that in her house, her lola is being treated as if she does not exist. “She’s from another generation and she just can’t seem to understand what we younger ones are talking about. She would often get mad at the way we do things. So, it she became so tiring. Her yaya is the one taking care of her most of the time. I don’t want to be like that. I’d rather die young than be ignored.”
A nun in Asilo de Molo once narrated to us a story about one of their wards, the name, I could no longer remember. “We found her on the streets and we surmised that she had been begging all her life. There was no family member who was interested to get her,” was what we were told.
That’s the other face of growing old --- that chance of being ignored, unloved and treated as if you are no longer useful.
Do I fear growing old? I don’t know. But I believe that no matter what’s going to happen to us in our old age, one thing is sure, the Holy Spirit will take good care of us. It may not be by the worldly standards that we want, but it’s going to be definitely something that we need. Like the old woman under the care of the Asilo de Molo nuns. And the old woman under the care of the yaya.
But, if you are really concerned about how you’re going to end up, try my friend Tyrone’s advice: I could make old age worthwhile by preparing and investing for it at the moment. I believe that what you do now would reflect who you are in the future. In living one’s life, live it to the fullest. A wise man once said that a person will not know if he lived his life best, but it is his legacy that would determine if he had a good life.
Perhaps Christine should be more patient to lola now, understand her and spend time with her. That way, she need not fear growing old for she knows that being loved and understood is something she can also enjoy, too.
ACUPUNCTURE. I got a message from Atho and Jonar, owners of Kasanag Well-Being Centre as regards an acupuncturist who will perform acupuncture sessions in the said center on March 12, Thursday. Dr. Malou Su-an, an alternative doctor, will perform the said sessions from 1 to 6 pm at P600 per session. A session lasts 45 minutes to one hour.
Acupuncture is a technique where they insert very fine needles on certain points of your body (where energy flows) to relieve pain or to treat you. This is a Chinese form of treatment that is based on the premise that health is a balance of yin and yang in the body and that acupuncture regulates the flow of energy in problematic areas. That, if the body's yin and yang are balanced, healing would occur.
For those interested, you can contact Kasanag Well-Being Centre at telephone number 338-0181. The center is located at 104 G/F Perpetual Succor Business Centre 38 San Agustin (Jalandoni) Street.