Here in Australia where I live, glorious and all as it is,
we have only two seasons: hot and bloody hot.
The country in which I grew up had four seasons, you know: winter, spring, summer and fall (autumn).
During each season, nature changes "clothes" and temperature, so us humans have to do the same. One's wardrobe needs to include everything from bearskin (not really, but you get the point) to bathers.
Here, one can basically get away with shorts and t-shirts all year round, although, sometimes the t-shirts may have to have long sleeves. On the plus side, less money needs to be spent on clothing, so no bearskins or Eskimo outfits needed, but here's the thing: when it's cold one can keep layering up until one is warm, but when it's like +42 degrees cel. and one has removed all clothing bar ones underwear, what can be done? Turn on the air-conditioner? I hear you say. Well, yes, if one has one that is., but I digress, so back to what I actually intended to write about.
For those of us who have grown up in places where there are desiderius trees, autumn (fall) and its falling leaves can be a breathtakingly wonderful sight to see, alas, here, there are very few such trees around. When I first came to Australia I couldn't get enough of seeing palm trees, I loved them and with the backdrop of the golden beaches and the Pacific ocean, well, glorious indeed. (Now, some 30 years later, I still love palm trees and the ocean view, but I miss some aspects of the old country.)
Before a desiderius tree sheds its leaves, it undergoes a wonderful colour transformation. (Which I have tried to recreate in the above image although the leaves are not real leaves, they are made out of fabric.)
Thinking about leaves and how they change their "skin" and become even more beautiful in their last fluttering moments of existence, made me think about what happens to a human being's "skin" before he/she/us depart this mortal coil.
The aging process, (which arguably begins at the moment of conception) for many of us, especially after the age of 29, can be experienced as something to be feared and to be resisted at all costs.
Once upon a time, living past 50 was viewed as an amazing feat, (still is in some cultures/countries)
not so today it seems, today we have gadgets, machines, pills, etc.etc. that can help us prolong our longevity. Put cream on our skin to keep it supple, inject toxins into different parts of our bodies to keep wrinkles at bay, compliment our diets with buckets of vitamins/minerals/fish oils/juices/etc.etc.
have our tummies tucked, lipo-sucked, plain old removed, our bald heads can have hair implanted, grey hair can be coloured, sagging skin, breasts, and butts lifted, etc.etc.
Everyday it seems, we are bombarded with ads telling us what we should do to remain young or at least "look" younger, because ??? The world belongs to the young? Being young is better than being "old"? Somehow in my view, many of us have managed to manipulate ourselves into believing that longer lives equals more happiness. But is that true?
A young body is often stronger and more flexible than an older one, but in my experience just being young does not guarantee happiness. We are more than our bodies, and a ten year old can be just as unhappy as a 63 year old. Being healthy (physically and mentally) and without any kind of pain or suffering may make it easier to experience feelings of what we call happiness, yet it does not guarantee it.
If what we desire in life is to be "happy", I believe a helpful step to take is to define for ourselves what we mean with happy, because even a good-looking, rich, powerful, talented, educated, healthy, young, popular person can still be/feel unhappy.
Equally, even a not so good-looking, not rich, not powerful, not talented, not educated, not so healthy, old, and averagely popular person can still be/feel happy.
Some things increase in value as they age: wine, art, furniture, property, comic books, land, stamps, books, gold, etc.etc. but somehow, in many cultures people don't. When people age their value seem to decrease. Thing is, exactly when does a person become old? (The other day I saw an 84 year old man on a quiz show who just sparkled, he was still running marathons, he was clear as a bell, and although he didn't win, he was amazing.)
Ask a six year old what being old means and the answer may be: my brother is old, he is 15.
Ask a 15 year old and the answer may be: 40, you're old when you're 40.
Ask a 40 year old and the answer may be: 65, you're old when you're 65.
Ask a 65 year old and the answer may be: 80, you're old when you're 80.
Ask an 80 year old and the answer may be: you're old when the pain of living outweighs the thought of dying.
Life, regardless of age can only be lived one moment at the time and that in my view applies to all of us, So, may I suggest that now is the right time to focus our attention on putting our energies into doing those things that brings us joy, and letting go of spending any of our precious time on looking back.
"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone". (Andy Rooney)
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