FURTHERMORE
By Gerry Moran
And so I have reached the venerable age of 70. Plus vat! Was going to write the venerable OLD age of 70 but, as everyone knows, 70 isn’t old anymore. Everyone knows that 70 is the new 60!
Being 70 may also be the age when you delude yourself. About your age! Bottom line is, I have reached the biblical age of three score and 10 (and then some) and here’s a thought, a biblical one as it happens, from Matthew 5.5: “And the Meek shall inherit the earth.”
And, because I am not impressed with capitalism, communism, socialism and most isms, I rather like the sentiments of Matthew 5.5. Except, it’s taking a long, long time to come to pass. Furthermore, at the rate we are abusing the planet there may not be an earth to inherit by the time the Meeks’ moment comes around.
And then – another thought. Should the Meek inherit the earth would we end up with yet another ism – Meekism! Which would not augur well for the survival of the species. When the aliens arrive (and they will before the Meek inherit the earth) and Meekism is running the show sure we’ll all just stand around like sheep, bleating pathetically and beating our breasts in submission. So, scratch Meekism. Bah humbug to that.
At 70 plus one knows one’s own mind (we would hope), what we like, who we like and why we like them. What I still like is a fillet steak, medium rare, surrounded by a crop-circle of onions and a mound of mashed spuds with a dollop of real butter. Bad for the cholesterol, of course, which is why I’m on the tablets.
It’s damn difficult to hit 70 without having a collection of pharmaceuticals, of some sort or other, on your bedside locker.
As for what I like in people – I like, I love, warmth, kindness and generosity, generosity of spirit, people with a giving, caring heart. I also like a sense of humour but kindness, warmth and generosity trump most qualities (for me). Another quality that I very much admire is compassion. I admire compassion possibly for selfish reasons; perhaps someday, or night, or early morning (3 am. most likely) I may come knocking on someone’s door in need of solace, a stiff drink or a bed. Possibly all three!
I’d like to think that I would not be turned away. I would also like to think that I would not turn anyone away. It did happen a few times with someone I knew. And I didn’t turn him away. But when it became a habit I called a halt. My compassion, I regret to say, is limited. Compassion is fine in theory but decidedly difficult in practice. Which is why I rate it so highly.
And what do I dislike in people? Oh, I’m far too mellow and mature to go there. Oh no, I’m not. I dislike, abhor actually, the sweet-smiling, soft-spoken, gossip who pours poisonous words into peoples’ ears and slips the blade of envy into their backs with the precision of an assassin.
I dislike the snide, the smug, the smarmy, the judgemental and the righteous (who always know the right thing to do – for them). Nor can I abide mean people; people who are ‘as tight as a gnat’s arse’ and who wouldn’t give you the steam off their you-know-what, to quote my father. I dislike the vengeful, the venomous, the toxic, and I had better stop as I’m beginning to sound like a grumpy old septuagenarian (which perhaps I am!).
Actually that’s a species I don’t much care for either – grumpy old men. And grumpy old women. Grumpy people. Full stop. Apart from those dislikes I pretty much love everyone!
As for politics, many politicians, including members of the Government, are half my age which scares me. Hopefully they possess more sense than I did at that age and a lot more wisdom which I am meant to have in abundance now as wisdom, or so they say, comes with age. But what’s this else they say: sometimes age comes along all on its own!
Finally, do I feel old? Well, I’ll put it like this: I feel guilty when parking in an Age Friendly parking spot which I am perfectly entitled to do (but don’t).
Guess I don’t feel 70, or thereabouts, after all!
