Feel slowly old now,,, need to share my symptoms of "Oldism" ^_^ :
What is "Oldism" ?
It's a sort of
stereotypical behaviours &
thoughts that say you're
old(er).
1/ Stress-free Life:
When young & vigour, living in big city is simply great ! Having everything around you, to enjoy, to visit & spend money...
But slowly... the big city conditions your life: walking very fast to catch up the bus/metro, living a stressful life to go to work, to feel the pollution (ads, dirt, bad smells, noisy sounds...) around you...
When old, you
don't need "Everything" around you, except the peace of mind, less pollution (preferably closer to nature), healthier life style, and stress-free life of course...
2/ Time Flies Faster:
The perception of time distorts your life with 2 main reasons:
- The first one is the perception between you and the others, for example when you see your family/relatives' kids growing so fast, you still remember when they were babies (like it was yesterday) and now they are almost teenagers!
- The second one is about yourself, with all your duty & responsibilities, to do everything by yourself (paying tax, shopping, laundry, cleaning etc...) Time simply flies...
3/ Good Foods / Taste Changing:
When young you drink beer, tequila, vodka... cheap & low cost foods, and save money for other purposes...
Once old: it's more good wines, tea and dark chocolate... fresh foods (sometimes organic) rather than junks & processed foods.
Because you know that your health should start first with good foods.
4/ Money Saving:
When young you don't think about saving, but to enjoy your life, to cherish your
freedom, and think and see only in short term view (such as 1 week ahead forecast, or where to party this friday/saturday night).
When old, you try to see things & your life not only in short term, but long term too:
- To save money to avoid the uncertainty in the future
- To get rid of your debt
- To invest in your future personal project (wedding, buy a house for example, etc...)
5/ Willing to Have Kids:
To see all your friends and cousins having babies/kids already makes you envy their happiness,
To see parents take their kids to school every morning makes you even feel more the importance of education & responsibility...
When we start to feel old, we simply want to settle down and start a family our turn too...
6/ Back to your Root:
Time is precious, when you are happy with yourself and satisfied what have, your mind has more now time to focus on something more challenging: To Know Who We Are.
Whatever it's a little research in our family tree (try to meet & know them), to practice more our mother-tongue (reading & writing), to learn the stories & fairy tales.... wishing someday that we can tell & teach to our future children.... so they won't forget their history....
7/ Bye bye to Techno-lo-lea (Trendy Techno/Gadget stuff):
If most of girls are fashionista, geek guys like buying new gadget stuff, whatever it's mobile phone or new laptop....
It's been more than 3 years that i got the same laptop computer, the same mobile phone, why running after new technology & new gadgets stuff that will be obsolete in 6 months ???
When old, you don't want to be a slave of techno-lo-lea !
8/ Time Flies Slowly :
When old, time is also your bestfriend, you appreciate each instant of your life, whatever it's s simple contemplating the sunset after your hard day work, or doing things that you like because there is one thing that you can be sure of is: "
Everything takes time". You don't run after the clock, but simply master it.
9/ Spending time with the Elders.
Life is also a matter of priority.
When young, we like spending time to hang out with friends and so on.... and soon learn to fly with our own wings....
But, when the persons you love are getting old (such as your parents), you try to spend more time as you can with them,
and cherish each moment that you can learn from them... Because Life is Short and everything can happen.
10/ Take care of yourself:
Take care of yourself means take care of your body & your mind.
Happiness & Wisdom begin when your body & mind are in harmony like the Yin & Yang.
Conclusion
Life is made of little things, little moments of happiness & joy that everyone try to cherish and look for, a time to enjoy & have fun and a time to be wiser when old.... there is always a time for everything,,, if we really want to make good use of it.
Hence,
Oldisms will tend to the following characteristics :
- careful & caring
- safe/stability/settled
- serene
- detached/no attachment to material things
While for
Youngisms:
- change careers
- keep up appearances
- vigour/full of energy
- risk taker
- dreamer
Same clothing, same little footstep...
Appearance doesn't really matter,
only the peace & happiness to be together when old...
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Credit: Taken by my friend from Worcester, MA, during the trip in Paris @ Luxembourg garden, Jul. 2009
