TIME AND OLD AGE: AN ESSAY ON AGING BY R.L.HUFFSTUTTER
TIME IS THE MOST MYSTERIOUS PART OF A LIFETIME; NEITHER THE YOUNG OR OLD CAN EXPLAIN IT CLEARLY AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT,S SAFE TO SAY THAT NEITHER THE OLD OR THE YOUNG OWN MORE OF IT THAN THE OTHER.
THERE IS A WISDOM ABOUT TIME, HOWEVER, POSSESSED BY ONLY THE OLD; IT IS A WISDOM THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GAIN IN YOUTH. AND THAT IS GOOD IN THAT IT GIVES EACH PERSON EQUAL WISDOM IN DUE TIME. NO YOUTH CAN COMPREHEND THE REALITY OF TIME IN THE WAY ONE WHO IS THREE SCORE AND TEN. TIME, IT IS A REALITY THAT IS SO DECEPTIVE TO ONE AND ALL. THE DECEPTION WILL ALWAYS BE REALIZED LATER THAN SOONER; AND THAT IS THE SAD PART. BUT SINCE TIME CANNOT BE SAVED IN A BOTTLE OR A VAULT, IT IS MORE OR LESS IRRELEVANT. YOUTH SPENDS TIME AS IF IT WILL NEVER END WHILE THE ELDERLY HANG ON TO EACH DAY, FAR INTO THE SUNSET AND ONLY LET GO RELUCTANTLY. YOUTH RARELY, IF EVER, SIT AND GAZE OUT WINDOWS AT BYGONE DAYS WITH REMORSE. FOR THE AGED, REMORSE QUITE OFTEN HELPS THEM WHILE AWAY THEIR TIME IS A MOROSE FASHION. TOO TIRED AND STIFF TO RUN OVER HILL AND DALE OR GO EXPLORING IN THE WOODS, THOSE SAD REGRETS WILL OCCUPY THEIR TIME; IF IT DOESN'T, KNITTING OR PAINTING PICTURES OFTEN SUFFICES QUITE WELL.
TO THOSE WHO FEEL MY DESCRIPTION OF ONE WHO IS AGED IS LESS THAN IDEAL, I WILL ADMIT THEIR FEELINGS ARE CORRECT. I CANNOT THINK OF ANYONE WHO WOULD RATHER BE SIXTY-FIVE OR SEVENTY YEARS OF AGE IF THEY HAD A CHOICE TO REMAIN IN THEIR THIRTIES OR EVEN EARLY FIFTIES.
I AM NOT NEGATIVE, I AM A REALIST. TIME WAS WHEN TIME WAS BETTER, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I HAVE LET AGE CAUSE ME TO SURRENDER. NO, BUT BEING A REALIST, I CANNOT HONESTLY ENTERTAIN THOSE SAME DREAMS I HAD IN MY TWENTIES OR THIRTIES. AND THAT, BOYS AND GIRLS, IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS MESSAGE. DOES ANYONE RECALL THAT OLD ADAGE OR DIDACTIC BIT OF INSPIRATION ABOUT MAKING HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES? THAT IS, IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE ANOTHER CUTE BIT OF ADVICE THAT YOUTH SHOULD LEARN AND UNDERSTAND: DON'T EVER BE AFRAID OF OUTLIVING YOUR
MONEY, PLAN AHEAD. "PLAN AHEAD," YES, THAT SOUNDS LIKE GOOD ADVICE.
NOW, LET ME SEE, WHAT SHALL I PLAN ON? OUTLIVING ONE'S MONEY IS A KIND OF CATCH 22. THIS IS SURELY A CASE WHERE HOPE AND FAITH MUST ENTER; OTHERWISE, IT IS JUST TOO PERPLEXING, TOO CONFUSING, AND FRANKLY, TOO DEPRESSING. WHAT WAS THAT OLD SAYING ABOUT ENJOYING THE DAY AND GOING FOR ALL THE GUSTO? THAT BIT ABOUT ONLY GOING AROUND ONCE, WELL, I AM GOING TO WITHOLD MY COMMENTS ON THAT ONE
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