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February
Paradise
What is paradise for seniors? In common terms it
would be the state of ecstasy, delight, joy, bliss
or even seventh heaven, although many don’t
want to go there quite yet. It is conceptually a
counter-image of the supposed miseries of human
civilization, a senior’s life in this case. In
simpler terms, it is what makes a senior happy?
“But what is happiness except the simple
harmony between a man and the life he leads?”
said Albert Camus. And that is a good question. The
life a senior leads dictates the level of
happiness, or none if that is the case, and that
should be the goal: good things in life.
Maybe it could it be as simple as remembering
the good old days? Sometimes these memories can
bring one out of the doldrums. There were a lot of
good things that happened to this point. Family,
friends, special events, parties, even as far back
as school and even when you were a cheerleader or
an end on the football team, they all enter into
the happiness category. Maybe that time you decided
to learn to play a musical instrument and you
joined the school band. Perhaps just going over old
photos can bring a senior out of the gray skies and
into the sunlight. Remember when; remember when;
remember when, it can spark a light that can turn
into a smile.
What do you want? Fewer candles on the cake at
the birthday party; same discount rate at the
grocery store you get at the movie theater; the
looks and energy of a teenager? Or is that just and
a dream of real paradise, or just wishful thinking?
Maybe paradise can’t totally happen, but close
is OK too. Getting as much as possible toward the
goal of happiness, little things here and there can
add up over time.
Good health is one thing that can be controlled
to some extent. First, taking the medications the
doc prescribes to control blood pressure and maybe
diabetes is a good start. Watching the numbers on
the weight scale grow less and less will be a help.
One way to do this of course is watching the diet.
Cut out the two or three cupcakes with the morning
coffee is a start and replace them with a health
bar; leave the beer in the refrigerator; and the
candy bowl goes into the trash. A little exercise
will help, but not too much, just enough to keep
the muscles flexible and the heart healthy as well
as dropping a few calories. Plain old walking will
be OK here, start slow and short and go longer and
further as time goes on. Yes, you have heard all
this before and maybe you are already doing it, but
do it with a smile on your face and convince
yourself your goal is paradise.
Quit spending so much of your little income on
things you don’t really need. A little money
in the bank creates a comfort zone and allows less
worrying, thus a more easy going existence. Not
really ecstasy, delight, joy, bliss or even seventh
heaven, but a little closer. “Money can’t
buy happiness, but it can make you awfully
comfortable while you’re being
miserable,” said Clare Boothe Luce. But the
idea here is to get beyond miserable and be a
little better than you are now.
Just plain relaxing is a key to this goal, and
sitting back with eyes closed in sort of a
meditative state for about fifteen-, twenty-minutes
a day can help in this. Even if you play a little
soft music at the time and ride the notes around
the room in your minds, it helps. “You are the
music while the music lasts,” said T. S.
Eliot. Even work your hobby with that music
playing.
Paradise isn’t the Garden of Eden or Heaven
on Earth or Pie in the Sky because it is
attainable; it is just a good personal attitude
that guides life day by day through trying times to
a higher level. To many seniors retired life can be
very trying, but that must be brushed aside and
made inconsequential, practice doing better things
that you enjoy … and don’t forget to
smile.
©2013, Patrick
Kennedy
* * *
Man arrives as a novice at each age of his life.
- Nicolas Chamfort
Patrick
M. Kennedy (P Manvel Kennedy) has been a
professional writer, editor, and graphic artist for
over 30 years. He is the author of three books:
More
Fun with Retirement: A coffee break for
seniors,
How
to Have Fun with
Retirement, and
Being
a Senior Citizen: You rnew phase of life with
many questions looking for
answers. and his
latest book: More Fun with Retirement: A
coffee break for seniors. He currently works from
Boise, Idaho. In the past he has worked from
Seattle, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas. He keeps busy
because he knows it is important when writing or
editing any material with a particular objective in
mind, for either personal use or business goals, to
present ideas with quality, clarity and accuracy.
He can do that, and he does most of it himself, but
he occasionally must call upon qualified associates
for assistance.
"My Resume shows me as an
experienced professional writer and editor who
specializes in the English language. With years of
professional experience in the
writing/editing/graphics field, I offer quality
services to both individual and business clients,
with prompt and accurate solutions designed to meet
their needs, and online editing services and
writing services for easy and quick results.
www.abetterword.com
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