Bidding good bye to the year about to end and welcoming the start of a new year with a big bang and a cacophony of sounds seems to have become a tradition that defies regulation or even a plausible explanation. Of the many reasons given for such a deadly practice usually resulting in loss of lives and limbs, the most common is that symbolized by a caricature of an old man fading away into oblivion as a bouncing baby comes in amidst all the noise of thunderous firecrackers. Unfortunately, in the din of this boisterous celebration of ringing in the new and blasting out the old year, many lessons of the past which the “old man” carries are thoughtlessly discarded and forgotten like the old man himself.
Yesterday is really gone forever and tomorrow may or may never come so we should just forget the past, live for the present and look at the future through rosy lenses. But this does not mean that we should simply get rid of the “old man” or the year about to end with all its troubles, miseries and hardships so that we can greet the coming year with a fresher and brighter outlook.
The “old man” does not really deserve to be booted out so unceremoniously just to give way to the young bouncing and lively baby. He has acquired the wisdom of the ages which may be useful to us in facing the years ahead like the old man in this story sent to me which I am sharing with you as a fitting message for the New Year.
“A man of 92 years, short, very well presented,
who takes great care in his appearance,
is moving into an old people’s home today.
His wife of 70 has recently died.
and he is obliged to leave his room,
After waiting several hours in the retirement home lobby,
he gently smiles as he is told that his room is ready.
As he slowly walks to the elevator,
using his cane, I describe his small room to him,
including the sheet hung at the window which serves
as a curtain.
‘I like it very much’, he says,
with enthusiasm of an 8 year old boy
who has just been given a new puppy.
Sir, you haven’t seen the room yet.
hang on a moment we are almost there’
‘That has nothing to do with it’, he replies
‘Happiness is something I choose in advance
whether or not I like the room does not
depend on the furniture, or the décor-rather
it depends on how I decide to see it’.
‘It is already decided in my mind
that I like my room. It is a decision I take
every morning when I wake up’.
‘I can choose. I can spend my day in bed
enumerating all the difficulties I have
with the parts of my body that no longer work
very well, or I can get up and give thanks
to heaven for those parts that are still in working order’.
‘Every day is a gift, and as long as I can
open my eyes, I will focus on the new day,
and all the happy memories that I have built up
during my life’.
‘Old age is like a bank account
you withdraw in later life what you
have deposited along the way’
‘So my advice to you is to deposit all the happiness
you can in your bank account of memories’.
Thank you for your part in filling
my account with happy memories,
which I am still continuing to fill.’
Remember these simple guidelines for happiness
Free your heart from hate
Free your mind from worry
Live simply
Give more
Expect less”
It’s nice to know especially at this time of the year that in our country, thanks to Filipino culture, we have stronger family ties and we take care of our elderly. Most of our lolos and lolas do not live in homes for the aged but continue to stay with the family giving wise advise and sharing their bank account of happy memories.
Happy and Prosperous New Year to All!