“they’re gonna stick a needle in us when we’re 90 and make us live longer, whether we like it or not” This lil’ funny was on furlough for the past year making a tentative return in class this morning {Jan22}! Indeed the whole question of ‘needles’ and ‘like it or not’ is currently a global conundrum BUT aside from obvious meandering discussions that could arise here (look elsewhere for ‘that’ debacle SORRY debate!! :)) I’ll focus on one thing; my original meaning. LONG before pandemic I was uncomfortable with idea that at 90 I may not be given ‘choice’ over how I spend my potentially vulnerable latter years.
If I don’t take care of myself and make sure I keep health; if I don’t make right decisions NOW to keep my freedom of choice and my physicality and make sure that society’s vulnerable (including the aged) get to keep autonomy too it won’t be too long before I am in that other demographic and my voice is lost and it is too late. Many decision makers seem to forget they are part of the ‘aging population’ and it won’t be long before they too may find, through some vulnerability, they don’t have power over how they are living the end days of their lives.
If we become vulnerable we don’t know for sure ‘WHO’ will be tasked with looking after us or ‘HOW’ they’ll look after us. Will there be standards and resources at all or will there be just ‘cost cutting’ and ‘efficiencies’ and an overworked younger generation trying desperately to juggle ‘care of the ever increasing numbers of elderly’ population (google says there are more people over age64 than there are under 5 and we know more people choosing single life or life without kids). I don’t want to be forced to live longer than necessary if my time on earth with a quality of living is done; I will have had my fair chance.
OF COURSE I want to live as long as I can but I want it to be quality, healthful, smooth, prescription drug free ‘living’ with actual ‘life’ and choice and spirit in my left years! If I become physically vulnerable maybe I’ll be lucky enough to lose my marbles too and that way it won’t matter! Sometimes I feel like I’ve lost a few already 🙂 . Lately, it was a bit of a shock to be reminded I was on the ‘wrong side’ (as some see it) of 50 but I FEEL GOOD right now (certainly better than I did at 25). We are in the middle of a big experiment; it could go either way. Much of our future will be what it will be because of choices we make right now. So I invest in my Bikram Yoga practice; ‘FUTURE PLANNING’ IF YOU LIKE! I want a different kind of older age which means I must take care of my body and mind because it is where my spirit has to live; FOR A VERY LONG TIME YET TO COME.
Om Om Om Your Health is Your Wealth
Trisha x
Jan 22