I have been receiving some messages intended for seniors, forwarded to me via WhatsApp and email.
Some of these messages are in English and some are in Chinese.
They are supposed to have been written by various famous people, and the gist of all these different messages is this:
- You are old, so deal with it.
- Children have their own priority, don’t expect too much from them.
- The world belongs to the young, so please step back and stay in the background.
- Your time is over, so suck it up.
The way I interpret it, the messages seem to be rather defeatist and even fatalistic. They seem to be intended to console old men and women who are sad and bitter, sad people who are resigned to the fact that they are now of no value whatsoever to anyone.
The messages seem to say:
- You are old and useless and you have passed your “sell by” date.
- Expect your offsprings to be unfilial. They have no time for old farts like you.
- Shut the fuck up, and let the younger people, who are smarter than you, run the world.
- Be ready to wait for death to take you.
I am actually somewhat insulted by these messages and a bit angry at well-meaning friends who forward them to me.
No way in hell am I fading away!
At 63, the best time of my life has just gotten better. This is the season to enjoy the company of people I like, to see places I enjoy visiting. To indulge. To relax.
This is the time to smoke the cigars and pipe tobacco I have amassed over the years for cellaring and aging. They should smoke very well now. Now is the time to retrieve those precious wines from my private vault and share them with friends. Like many of my friends, by now, these wines should have matured well and unlike many idiots who start to look and talk stupid the moment they touch a drop of alcohol, my friends and I won’t turn red or talk rubbish or do stupid things (like driving or walking into lamp posts) when we imbibe.
This is what I say to myself:
- I may not be a spring chicken anymore, but I carry a wealth of knowledge (dare I say “wisdom”?) and intellectual firepower plus precious experiences and almost unlimited resources. I’m in a good place.
- I have brought up my three kids well – they are filial, respectful, and their moral compass is in perfect working condition. As long as they treasure my counsel, I am here for them.
- I have earned my right to stand out, speak up and talk back. I won’t shut up, hell no! And I will not allow myself to be bullied.
- I’m not going to sit idly and wait to die. I will seize life with both hands and continue to make a positive difference in the lives of people around me until my very last breath. And when my eyes close for the last time, I know at that moment, I would have no regrets whatsoever.
So for those retards who think that just because I am 63, and therefore, it’s time for me to disappear, let me just say this: Thank you for forwarding me those messages but just because you are a loser doesn’t mean others are losers too.
Despite three surgeries last year, l will still be a trailblazer long after you have ended up in an urn.
The rest of my life will be the best of my life!