As we age and become senior citizens, our views and priorities would have changed. Gone were the wish and drive to earn more money, and in comes the need and wish to be healthy.
For the past few years, my wife was quick to reply to Chinese New Year wishes (Gong Xi Fa Cai which literally means Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year) with a 'No need for wealth, but health'. But I did not like the way she put it because it comes across as presumptuous, as though she already has plenty of wealth which is not true.
Anyway, I look forward to our almost daily breakfast meet and talk about any current issues and what comes to mind.
One suggested that one of us should plan and set up an old folks' home... preferably near a hospital... and a cemetery, to make it convenient.
Another commented that as we get older and die off, with the different religion or mentality of younger generations, soon there will not be any descendants inclined to do the yearly Qing Ming ritual. With the scarcity of burial grounds and increasing prices of plots, the trend is for cremation...now we have to think of 'condominium' for the dead, as in columbarium! Even this is not cheap. I was told a slot in Ipoh costs at least Rm15,000.
A more practical way is to throw the ashes into the open sea, and not having to ever face the problem of 'no descendants to pray for you'. Even having tablets in temples or communal associations' altars do not guarantee attendance, but have the consolation of having others praying for them during festivals.
A doctor advised an old patient to do a certain test. He said after each test, I had to go on a different diet, soon I will not be allowed to eat anything!
Meanwhile, during a mahjong session among seniors, it is common to hear of sarcastic complaints about a very slow player who will take his or her time to decide, like : 'Are you reading the papers?' Then there is another who would hold on to the 'brick' after throw it out, and when someone exclaimed 'game over' or something to that effect, she would reply that she had not decided (act of holding on) and had decided to change her mind!
It is also amazing to hear of a 70+ male senior commenting about 'the old lady' who is actually only in her 60s or even 50s! Some are really young at heart despite their old age.
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For the past few years, my wife was quick to reply to Chinese New Year wishes (Gong Xi Fa Cai which literally means Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year) with a 'No need for wealth, but health'. But I did not like the way she put it because it comes across as presumptuous, as though she already has plenty of wealth which is not true.
Anyway, I look forward to our almost daily breakfast meet and talk about any current issues and what comes to mind.
One suggested that one of us should plan and set up an old folks' home... preferably near a hospital... and a cemetery, to make it convenient.
Another commented that as we get older and die off, with the different religion or mentality of younger generations, soon there will not be any descendants inclined to do the yearly Qing Ming ritual. With the scarcity of burial grounds and increasing prices of plots, the trend is for cremation...now we have to think of 'condominium' for the dead, as in columbarium! Even this is not cheap. I was told a slot in Ipoh costs at least Rm15,000.
A more practical way is to throw the ashes into the open sea, and not having to ever face the problem of 'no descendants to pray for you'. Even having tablets in temples or communal associations' altars do not guarantee attendance, but have the consolation of having others praying for them during festivals.
A doctor advised an old patient to do a certain test. He said after each test, I had to go on a different diet, soon I will not be allowed to eat anything!
Meanwhile, during a mahjong session among seniors, it is common to hear of sarcastic complaints about a very slow player who will take his or her time to decide, like : 'Are you reading the papers?' Then there is another who would hold on to the 'brick' after throw it out, and when someone exclaimed 'game over' or something to that effect, she would reply that she had not decided (act of holding on) and had decided to change her mind!
It is also amazing to hear of a 70+ male senior commenting about 'the old lady' who is actually only in her 60s or even 50s! Some are really young at heart despite their old age.
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