American Philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the celebrated the line that redounds to "It's the journey, not the destination." Attribution to him was in 1841 in his series of essays entitled "Self Reliance."
There are others who claim to have fundamental rights to originating the quotation, perhaps in a reworded or rearranged version. But whoever the recorded remarks is credited to, the fact is this line captures the essence of life and the worth of one's journey.
The destination and enjoying the trip is what matters more than the arriving.
Getting There
We are lucky if we age past 70 or 80. Many do not get the opportunity, come to think of it.
Aging is a manifold journey that involves the whole gamut of cognitive, emotional, physical, and pragmatic aspects of living. Along the way, one can never really be prepared for challenges and opportunities, if any, encountered.
How to get there is all about focusing on what truly matters and developing fortitude, patience, tolerance, and understanding. The journey is not a smooth path. There are thorns and thistles along the way.
Not everyone experiences all of these. How one faces each is different from the other.
Journey Pitfalls
After productive years and retirement, the harsh reality that the elderly face is less and less appreciation that cause them depression and pain.
Easier to say that the best things about getting that far results from a positive attitude, happier outlook, more time with grandchildren and loved ones, and in inclusion and participation. There are many times that the feeling of rejection or exclusion is the most painful part in the aging journey. Physical difficulties and incapacities could get very burdensome and tedious to certain relatives and friends.
While changes in the physical and cognitive abilities of those in the geriatric bracket are a natural occurrence, the aging encounter difficulty in movement and coordination and become forgetful.
Geriatricians are kinder in describing these as: Ataxia or the loss of coordination; Dystonia or involuntary muscle contractions, and the hereditary Huntington's Disease where nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away.
When the inevitable occurs in the life of the aging, it is heartbreaking that these are equated to being "weak, old, and stupid"?
Respect
The elderly folk were once active, coherent, and reliant, like many of us.
In Fr. Dave Concepcion's recent homily, these descriptions of the aging folks, though accurate in a sense, "is utterly disrespectful."
"Tatanda rin kayo (You will soon grow old, too!)," said Father Dave.
The thorny path to old age is definitely part of life's journey. However, there are ways to make journey more comfortable, aren't there?
The aged reached this destination with wisdom and resilience in spite of the emotional shifts, physical decline, and many other challenges.
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