The greatest challenge one faces in life, especially in his senior years, is how to age gracefully.

This is what dominates my thoughts today. Am I aging gracefully? What I know is I am trying hard to. In my group, the Sunshine Boys, that is what we try very hard to do, make ourselves happy, enjoy the remaining years of our life, and make others happy too.

By showing them we are aging gracefully, it is our hope, they get infected and we contribute to making people happy. Spread cheer, hope and love. Have friends. Fill the world with love.

In the 60s, there was a song that ran something like this, “In the morning of my life, I shall look at the sunrise. At the moment of my life when the day is new. And the question I will ask, only I will answer. Will I be brave, and strong, and true? Will I fill this world with love my whole life through?”

“In the afternoon of my life, I shall look at the sunset. At the time of my life when the day is through. And the question I will ask only I can answer. Was I brave, and strong and true? Did I fill this world with love my whole life through.”

* * *

And who can help you age gracefully? Friends, according to my friend Nordy Diploma. He has a poem. It runs something like this: “Men strive for glory, honor and fame,/ To have people remember their name;/ Others amass wealth through their mind and hand,/ In order to have power over the land.”

“But when the time comes when they near the end,/ They will find happiness is not in any of these,/ But only in the love of friends.”

We grow old only by deserting our ideals. General Douglas McArthur who lived to be 84, has been often quoted on this: “Nobody grows old by living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin but to give up interest wrinkles the soul.”

* * *

Winston Churchill lived up to 91. His wit and humor kept him young. In Parliament when the feisty Lady Astor, was angered by his meddling, she told him, “Winston, if you were my husband I will poison you.”

Winston answered quickly, “Madame, if you were my wife, I will take the poison.”

Longfellow who lived to be 75, wrote that nothing is too late. Geoffrey Chaucer, he wrote, finished his “Canterbury Tales” at 70 and Goethe finished his “Faust” when he was 80. We wrote about Dr. Faustus last week.

Longfellow also wrote, “Age is an opportunity no less,/ Than youth itself, though in another dress,/ And at the evening when twilight fades away,/ The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.”

Only in old age can we see the beauty of the night and of the stars. And of life.

I like what Benjamin Franklin wrote in his “Poor Richard’s Almanac.” “Old Boys have their Plaything as well as the Young Ones. The only differences is in the price.” I know friends will ask, “Do you Sunshine Boys have also?

* * *

I want to go back to Nordy’s theory that happiness is not found in glory, honor, and fame nor in wealth and power but in the love of a friend.

Awakenings movie full

Poet James Russel Lowell on his poem “Sixty Eight Birthday” wrote “As life runs on, the road grows strange,/ With faces new – and near the end;/ The milestones into headstones change,/ But beneath all these is a friend.” Things change but only a friend prevails.

Nordy flew to Bacolod yesterday to attend the birthday of a friend.

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead psp Just like what Willie Mirano says, friendship is had by first giving it. It is an investment that gives abundant dividends.

When we see the beauty in everything in life, time stands still. I always liked and quoted Blake on this, “To see the world in a grain of sand,/ And heaven in a wild flower;/ Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,/ And Eternity in an hour.”

* * *

Scar the movie We have read of that famous conquistador, Ponce de Leon, who discovered Florida and claimed it as a colony of Spain. He is famous for his search for the Fountain of Youth.

Ponce de Leon went to the Bahamas and even Puerto Rico but came back to Florida where he enjoyed its sunny weather and the very many beautiful flowers, the reason why he named it Florida.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me movie download

The Clique dvd

Did he find the Fountain of Youth there? There is no proof that he did. But when he returned to Spain in 1515 to report to King Ferdinand, he told the king of the many varieties of beautiful flowers and the beautiful surrounding gave him the youth that he searched for.

He died at 61 in 1521, not too old, but having found enjoyment, it gave him the youth he looked for.

In a sense Ponce de Leon aged gracefully because, to quote McArthur again, he did not desert but even kept his ideals and a deep interest in beauty.

* * *

We acknowledge the call of Amity’s Crispin Chua and former City Administrator Dr. Tony Kho from Taipeh, offering their help to former City Vice Mayor Boy Drilon. I asked them to send their help to Boy and Mila Drilon.

I also want to acknowledge the greeting of another friend in California, Bing Ramos. Thanks to you all.

Leave a Reply