People say that nothing is more certain in life than death. All living beings will die one day.

But we have no courses to prepare us for it, which continues to be a surprise, a road accident, never expected.

And for all of the ones who do not die during childhood or youth, the old age comes.

It would be important to have courses to grow old. Perhaps we would not have so many cases of depression in elderly people.

Seniors who consider themselves useless, because they are no longer in the job market. Elderly who feel run down because young people do not pay attention to what they say, because no one comes to inquire of their rich experiences.

Many feel like the ballpoint pen that has dried up, the light bulb that does no longer lights up. Old goods, delivered for disposal.

This is because we are not preparing ourselves for this phase. Some of us, as the years add up, make foolishness, of those who have not yet matured, to assert ourselves as still young, active.

However, growing old is an honor. Honor of crossing the years, gathering wisdom. Honor to see the adult children forming their own families.

Honor to be called grandmother and grandfather. Honor to boast snow on hair, history in memory and experience in mind.

How healthy it would be to prepare ourselves to grow old, being thankful for each year you add to the previous ones. Preparing for after years of professional practice, we can enjoy days without strict hours.

Days when we can study another language, learn to play a musical instrument. Days when we can live more freely, allow ourselves to go to the movies on a Monday, or watch the night session on TV without fear because the next day, we may wake up a little later.

So much to do: delight in classical music, theater, movies, reading.

The possibility of being more with the family. Prepare a special dish, that requires a lot of elaboration to surprise everyone with the delight.

Time to sunbathe, stroll around the square, write memories. Maybe volunteer a few hours, during the week, in some institution…

What can we do? What can we teach? How can we give ourselves?

A poet wrote that in the old age, every thing that is said, is a prayer. A prayer is any word that comes from the depths of our desires. Therefore, many become poets.

They write about their lives and their observations. After all, now they can stop to watch the sea for hours, watching the waves that make of every retreat a starting point for a new advance.

Growing old is a Divine gift. How many of us have crossed the century and the millennium, bringing the historical and cultural notes of the past…

We are the living books of History. How much we have to add to the information that printed works present!

Let us think about it. If we have already reached the old age, let us donate our wisdom and enjoy the preciousness of the time offered to us.

If we are on our way, let us prepare ourselves for such rich period.

Spiritist Moment Team, with quotes from chapter 13,
paragraph 4, of the book  Um céu numa flor silvestre,
by Rubem Alves, publisher Verus.
January, 6.2020.