Human Condition VII - and age.

"Our lives end on the day we become silent about the things that really matter" - in my memory a quote by M Luther King.
Couple that with another quote: "When you become old you find yourself become a Buddhist: Rid of all desires".

Staying young is, therefore, a question of keeping engaged, worrying about the things that have direct impact on your life here and now - and DO SOMETHING to solve even the nagging pebble in your shoe.

In my experience - and I am sure in most people's - if we can find peace, quiet and solutions to the "little things" that disturb our daily existence and that tend to frustrate the heck out of us, then we can begin to find beauty in the universe and find time and motivation to do things that don't matter, but which enrich our lives - whatever takes your fancy.

In Hammersmith they arrange a day for the over 50s with drinks, partying, dancing, food stalls etc.
They call it "The day of your life" for the older citizens.
Eh?
50?
Old?
The day of your life? If so - how poor is your life?

This is cakes for bread.
Why not use all this energy and money ensuring that people twixt 50-70 could have meaningful work, using their experience? In Denmark they call it grey gold - - how apt!
I am personally in the grip of awe about the size of Betelgeuse and take great joy studying Tempo Field Theory and other rather useless passtimes - but bollocks to it, as long as we have a society that has lost its way in materialism, youth worship and old by 50.

Cakes for bread!
.