Goodness gracious, am I that old?

TIME seems to have a will of its own these days. I can almost swear I can hear the sound of laughter coming from my Fifth Form classroom where friends and colleagues were up to their latest antics.
I was studying in a La Salle Brothers school then. Now and then, the brother director would walk past and if we had been alerted about his arrival, there will be dead silence for about five minutes, then the ruckus began all over again.
Suddenly, I realise it has been 36 years ago. Some of my classmates must be grandfathers now. A number of us must be half-bald by now, and a lot of others are sporting grey hair.
Another indication that life has hopped on to the fasttrack is when we see school friends' children. The kids who used to be toddlers are adults now. Before you run to the nearest mirror to check out that familiar face, you indulge in some simple arithmetics and come to the quick conclusion that you are almost on the last leg of the retirement circuit.
Mentally, most of us are ageless. We never really grow old in our minds. We just become more experienced. Physically, our conditions depend on discipline and that zest of life. If you have been keeping fit, your body which is also your personal engine will be fine. It will have its occasional spurts and starts, otherwise, it still runs the course.
When you say someone is "old", what do you mean? Do you mean that person is now four score and something years, or do you mean he just looks haggard? Some people prefer to be called senior citizens. Others like be be described as being mature.
All that simply translates to you having spend more years on earth than a lot of other people who think they know more than you.
Personally, I like being where I am right now, and that is being on the half-century mark. I feel like I did 30 years ago. I have not lost that spark of life. I am keen on doing the unexpected and expecting the unanticipated. Life to me is like a long and winding road filled with little lessons and major experiences. All that take place so that my life will get better with time.
I think we should not be too concerned about being called "old." Being old is a great way of telling the world that you have been around and then some. But that does not mean that you are immune from being feeling pain, frustration, happiness and joy, just like that other six billion people on earth.
We are one big family and yet at the same time, different, unique individuals. As we advance in years, we tell ourselves we have had enough; that we are tired, we must now leave the "heavy" stuff to the younger chaps; that we can't do that anymore at our age; that we shouldn't enjoy life to the fullest because it may be bad for our hearts. To all that I say; HOGWASH!
Life is never meant to be slowed down. We just go on. Jumping, skipping, running, strolling, jogging, walking, resting, etc. It is a journey filled with different paces. So what if we stop for a while to look at the scenery. We need not convince ourselves that life is passing us by and we have to act our age.
Rubbish, I say again. I have friends who are in their 80s and they have so much vitality in their human forms that they put to shame three-quarters of those one-third their age.
You know you are old when you believe you should go slow and retire. Life belongs to those who want it, anyway they want it, how they want it and how much they demand of it.
As I add on the years, I get smarter, stronger, faster and tougher. Sounds like superman? Yes, in a way. I just couldn't resist yanking other people's chains whenever they come up to me with their long faces laden with forlorn hopes of something that they think is unattainable.
These are the people who have passed such heavy sentences on themselves. It is a living tragedy. What is the difference between those who have given up hope and those who are dead. Not much! Those who are dead can not do anything else anymore. Those who have given up hope, might as well be dead because there's not much hope for them anymore.
Next time, you feel the urge to be put to pasture, just tell yourself what you are going to do with the rest of the time, if you think you have 48 hours more to live. Of course, you would want to try anything, anywhere anytime because for you the last 48 hours are your last.
When you are in that state, you probably won't worry at all about cholesterol, being fat, being stingy with money (you won't be going anywhere with that extra cash), and worry about people who dislike you.
You will become slightly selfish because you won't want to such on the nectar of life. You want to soak in everything that brings a big smile to your face. YOu would want to tell everybody you love them because you don't relish the thought of anyone dancing on your coffin.
When you truly believe you are living out your last hours, everything that you thought were important suddenly become meaningless trivia.
Being so-called old gives you an added advantage. You realise that you don't need to prove anything anymore. You won't feel shy like before because it doesn't really matter anymore. You become more confident because a lot of people are now junior to you. You will feel as if you have a right to give them some advice. And also that the world sounds like it's ready to serve you.