When you are too old to fight back

A wise man once said: "When you are too old to fight back (probably against people who are bigger and nastier than you), then it's time to reconsider your priorities in life."

I would like to think that it's wise to wise up and not resort to physical measures to resolve issues. Some individuals who have misguided principles seem to think that seniority gives you the privilege to say anything you want and get away with it.

Believe me, it's not true. I am now heading towards the stadium where the finishing line is. I am not exactly in the stadium yet but if you catch me drift, I am about five kilometres from the last lap.

Chinese martial arts masters subscribed to this philosophy. Old age does not make you stronger and faster than a 20-year-old upstart but it should give you an advantage in being wiser, being more practical, higher tolerance and a propensity for not taking life too seriously.

In other words, mate, be a buddy and not punch your puny fist against the concrete wall. I have friends who do not hesitate to express their anger by hammering their knuckles against a solid wall to express their frustration.

Now, I ask you. Does the wall feel any pain? Does the concrete structure cry out for help? No sirree! It's you who are feeling the pain. It's your skin that tears and bleeds.

So when you are too old to fight back, simply understand that confrontation is not the way to go. You can either understand the situation and live with it, or you can simply walk away and let the other person think you are a chicken.

Better that person has a misinformed impression of you than you challenging him to a fight and if you are lucky beyond expression, you could actually knock him over. But what does that prove?

Simply, that he will lay in ambush for you one dark night and exact a revenge when you least expect it. If you are unlucky, he could be carrying a baseball bat.

With age must come wisdom, otherwise you have wasted some precious years of your life. What have you been doing while you were enjoying life as a mature adult?

It's only the young and brash who desire to resolve intangible issues with some hard knocks. The older generation just sigh, walk away and reconsider their aims in life. They know there are better things to do in life, other than to hit your head against the wall, and be unconscious for many long minutes.

The buzzword for longevity and some good years of harmony is patience. The Chinese have a healthy respect for seniority. They say the elders have consumed more salt than others who have consumed rice.

That's true on several levels. The young have a tendency to think with their bodies and fists. The older ones have no choice but to use their minds and other intangible assets like patiences, composure and kindness.

When you think about this, it sort of dawns on you: Why didn't I do that sooner?