Once a week I take part in English lessons. As a homework we had to write a short essay. This essay is a combination of two topics ”Age is an issue of mind over matter etc.” and “My future dreams”.
Old age and dreams
“Old age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don´t mind, it doesn´t matter.” – Mark Twain
The same relationship with aging has also Bernard Baruch: “Luckily, I haven´t seen old age because to me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am.” However, it is a fact that aging brings some health problems and changes in memory and physical skills, but you can always make your life more enjoyable by doing some physical exercise and getting some intellectual hobbies, too, such as taking part in English lessons. You are never too old to learn. After having retired you´ve got time for it, too.
Nowadays many health problems can even be avoided or cured to some extent. Two months ago I got a letter from my friend Lasse and his wife Mary from Canada. He is three years older than I am. Lasse´s hips have been operated, he had a slight embolus in his lung several years ago and he limps slightly with his right leg. Mary´s other lung was extracted five years ago because of cancer. In June they made a two-week tour to Scotland where Mary´s great grandfather had lived. They enjoyed their trip a lot and also made some contacts by e-mail in order to get some more information. Now the couple is planning a winter vacation in Florida where they usually stay for a couple of months during winters. I suppose Maurice Chevalier was right when he said: “Old age isn´t so bad when you consider the alternative.”
I hope I´ll be in good health for some years ahead and I have some dreams, too. In my youth I had a Jawa CZ motorcycle. I rode it also in the wintertime with pilot´s glasses and a leather cap on. Now I would rather have a scooter. I dream about the possibility to surprise my relatives on my 80th birthday by entering the celebrations on my new 400 cubic Honda-scooter. When took my pilot´s glasses and leather cap off, they could see the red rally-stripes painted on my bare scalp. After a welcome drink, I would suggest Doris Day´s song:
Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future´s not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.
Silvo Kaasalainen