Lessons learnt from conversations with elderly folks

I used to have alot of perceptions about the elderly folks. They seems very set in their ways and full of criticism for the world. For the many that I've met, nothing seems to please them. Their world just seems dark, gloomy, unhappy, sad.... They are full of fears, afraid of letting the tap run while they are out. Afraid of the gas being turned on. Afraid of robbers on the street. Afraid of falling down. Afraid that one day their kids will disown them and throw them out of the house. Afraid of how they will die. They have just sooo much fears!

As time goes by, I noticed that these elderly folks do not have other more exciting things or events to focus their energy on. Not like us, younger generations with a bright future ahead of us. We've got lots of to dos, lots of plans, lots of places to go visit etc. For them, energy is short-lived. If they get a good night's rest, they get alot of energy in the morning to perhaps go marketing, chat up with a friend or even take a walk. If they dun sleep well, the whole day is fuzzy and there's very high inertia to overcome in order to do anything for the rest of the day.

Now, isnt that kind of life pretty depressing?

THEN, they have tonnes of their friends around their age with horrifying stories of how they get "kicked out of the house" after they helped raised their grandchildren. Or how a fall became fatal. Or how two unrelated persons came together and caused each other "bad luck". Stories fly, more exciting details are added with each version and it becomes real life horror stories that accompanied them to bed each night.

How to get a good night's rest with such frightening images running in their minds?

Lessons learnt:

1. Always be financial independent from any other sources. Remove potential threats of dependence on others.

2. Surround yourself with positive friends/family. Nothing is more damaging to our minds than negative thoughts.

3. Be healthy, exercise and keep exercising to keep joints & limbs alive. Losing one's mobility = losing freedom = alot of sadness

4. Even if mobility is limited, one can get a motorized "tractor-like vehicle", very cool on the roads!

5. Travel often, the more worldly you are, the less likely you are going to think badly of yourself. Even a simple trip to bintan or JB is enough to distract the mind and infuse it with some positivity.

6. Take things easy, by 60yrs old, you would have seen alot of shit already. So dun let any event that occurs shake your nerves too much. Relax lah.

7. Plan ahead with your assets, learn how to manage them when you are younger so that you can lead a care free life later.

8. Laugh everyday. Be it a light breeze on your face. Be it a clear blue sky. Be it a pretty butterfly. Be it an adorable face. Be it a cute advertisement. Laughter will chase away alot of blues.

9. Go out to someplace new every week (if you cannot tahan going out everyday). There will always be something new and interesting on the streets. Be it a new poster, a new gadget, a new store. There are so many creative, inventive people out there, if we do not get out of our house, it'll be tough to explore the world! (Dun forget there's always retail therapy!)

10. Think about how you want your funeral to be. What to do with your body/ashes. Let your family/close friends know of your preference and it will be easier for them too. No need for surprises for them. No need for them to argue over colors or flowers etc. Because you would have planned everything ahead. Do not be afraid to think about your death. It will happen, whether you like it or not. Its better to plan ahead than to leave things as a mystery.

Okay, now someone remind me of this piece of information when I'm 60yrs old. Because I get the feeling that I wont remember a word that I wrote here! hahahahaha :P