The glorious chariots of the kings wear out;
the body also comes to old age;
but the virtue of good people never ages;
thus the good teach each other.
– From: “Old Age” by Buddha
Poems on Getting Old
- Growing Old – Matthew Arnold
- Youth, Day, Old Age and Night – Walt Whitman
- What shall a singer ask of Appolo – Horace
New Adventures in Old Age
by Sri Chinmoy
Old age is no obstacle. Churchill embarked on painting at a very old age. There are many, many world-famous people who became great in their old age. Even Tagore started painting just a few years before he passed away. Previously, he was all the time writing books. Only at the end of his life, he became an artist. At what point people can bloom, we do not know. That is why we say “late bloomers”!
Then again, when we become old, we will get new joy, new inspiration and new delight if we can continue with the good things that we have been doing for years. We may do the same thing every day, but there will be new joy awaiting us every day with our continued practice.
For example, when Pablo Casals was 95 years old, he was still practising his cello every day. He felt just the same as always. Once someone asked him, “Why do you practise at your age? You have become the greatest cellist. Now you can rest!”
Casals answered, “You want me to rest? You do not want me to make any progress? Every day I am playing the cello and I have been playing for years and years, ever since my childhood. Every day I feel I have made some progress.”