Summary of Life

Contributed by Bing

Summary of Life



GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair That you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1 -- You believe in Santa Claus.

2 -- You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3 -- You are Santa Claus.

4 -- You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . ... . Not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . Having friends.
At age 17 success is . . . Having a driver's license.
At age 35 success is . . . Having money.
At age 50 success is . . . Having money.
At age 70 success is . . . Having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . . Having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . Not peeing in your pants...

--------------------------
Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.
Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way;
BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.

Have a wonderful day with many smiles

Take the time to live!!!
Life is short. Dance naked
And eat dessert first!

---

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Smiles for Today

Contributed by Bing:

Sa mga matatanda.... . . . . . .

pero hindi pa tayo yun!!!



Getting OLD

An elderly gentleman...

Had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.

The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.'

The gentleman replied, 'Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!'

----------

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says:

'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?'

'I feel just like a newborn baby.'

'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?'

'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.'

------

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.

The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly.'

The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'

The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... The one that's red and has thorns.'

'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man.

He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?'

--------

Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.

After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator.

On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.

'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.'

-----------

Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember.

Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.

'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'

'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks.

'No, I can remember it.'

'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so's not to forget it?'

He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.'

'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, please write it down?' she asks.

Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'

Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.

She stares at the plate for a moment. 'Where's my toast ?'

----------------------

A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:

'So I hear you're getting married?'

'Do I know her?'

'Nope!'

'This woman, is she good looking?'

'Not really.'

'Is she a good cook?'

'Naw, she can't cook too well.'

'Does she have lots of money?'

'Nope! Poor as a church mouse.'

'Well, then, is she good in bed?'

'I don't know.'

'Why in the world do you want to marry her then?'

'Because she can still drive!'

--------------------

Three old guys are out walking.

First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'

Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'

Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer.'

-----------

A man was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect.'

'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?'

'Twelve thirty.'

--------------------

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.

A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?'

Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'

The doctor said, 'I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'


One more.

A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool..

After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.

The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?'

'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'

---------------

Now, before you forget, send them on to some other folks you know who could use a good laugh!!!

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Growing Old

What do Joker Arroyo and Juan Ponce Enrile have in common, aside from being both pro-GMA senators? What about Dolphy and Eddie Garcia, both veteran actors and our local valentinos? I almost forgot Ramon Revilla, who has combined showbiz and politics and is notches ahead of Pidol and Manoy, having sired 60 or more kids. We also have educators Dra. Helena Benitez and Fr. James Reuter, actresses Anita Linda and Mona Lisa, highly revered Senator Jovito Salonga, entrepreneur Socorro Ramos (of the National Bookstore), multi-awarded director Eddie Romero, and until their very recent deaths – Tiya Dely Magpayo, the Queen of Radio, and artist Lucresia ‘King’ Kasilag of the Cultural Center. These achievers continue or continued to be productive beyond 80 years of age.

When I was assigned in Bicol in 1996, an uncle visited me in the Regional Office. He was 99 years old then and still traveled alone. He told me that in the Chinese calendar, he was already 100 years. My uncle smoked, loved to eat pork, and was rumored to be a womanizer. I recalled that when he was assigned as provincial auditor of Cam Norte during my elementary days, and was staying in our house (he was from Albay), his wife was a frequent unexpected visitor. Nang-dadakop baga, sabi sa Albay – ma-“imon’ daa. I could hear them argue/quarrel, I didn’t know what happened after that. But I did hear my uncle’s music. He loved to play violin. He did not reach the age of 100 though based on our Gregorian calendar as his pancreas gave up before his centennial birthday.

Glen’s mother just celebrated her 80th birthday last month, the reason why Glen and Robert came home. She’s still going strong.

What could be the formula for long life? Before I forget, this post is really about my reflections on our visit to Sor Victorina. Ed said that he couldn’t relate to the music I used in the video clip of the visit. He said that it is too dreary and pessimistic. Sounds melancholic but I don’t think it is pessimistic. “Panunumpa” is an acclamation to God. It is actually sang in masses. Perhaps, it captured what I felt that evening while looking at the pictures.


On my way home that evening, walking from Ortigas to Shaw Boulevard (yes, I can still walk long distances), I was thinking of Sor Victorina. In high school, I remember that she was a very strict principal/mother superior. She imposed punishment on the spot, such as asking a pupil/student to kneel on the sand in front of the flag pole or along the corridor. She also imposed a fine for speaking the dialect. (Probably, this was the reason I got an award for conduct. Dai na ako nagtaram mula kaidtu. Pero nagba-ta si hangaw ko ta napa-nos si laway. Yaks, gross!) Sor Victorina was with us only until our third year. On our fourth year, she was transferred to La Consolacion, Iriga. (She brought along Sis. Terry with her).

It was a different Sor Victorina that we saw last September 7. I was the last to arrive in the convent (but I wasn’t late, the others came early, including Lina and daughter princess. Alot and Marynat came much earlier with a bag of fruits, pansit and kakanin. Ric, Alot’s hubby, who came along with their son, drove for them.)

The group was already engaged in animated conversation at the Infirmary’s lanai when I arrived. But I noticed that Sor Victorina was just sitting there and watching us like a well-behaved child. Physically, she looks good. She can move around. According to Sister Terry, she can sit the whole day, reading or playing sungka. At night, when the weather is fine, they just walk and sit around the compound of the convent.

It is difficult to strike a conversation with Sor Victorina though. You have to speak close to her ears because she can’t hear from ordinary distance. Furthermore, she can’t remember the past. I played the VCD of the pictures from elementary to high school. There was a picture of Msgr. Reganit and Sister Estrella pointed at Mamo and asked Sor Victorina if she could recognize him. She indicated that she didn’t. But when she saw her picture in the VCD, she laughed (that was captured in the video clip). She must have recognized herself. Before we left, Sister Estrella asked her to say a few words. Sor Victorina thanked us (in English).

God has given Sor Victorina the gift of life. In less than six months, she’ll be 99 yrs. Another year and she’ll be a centenarian. Is she fortunate? Her Augustinian community obviously takes good care of her as we can see from her physical appearance. She has good food, shelter, and company. But obviously, her mental faculties are no longer the same. Like a child, she does not have to worry about rising prices, food shortage, rapid population growth, environmental degradation, climate change, and worsening corruption in government. But probably, she also no longer feels any sense of fulfillment in what she has done and what she does now. She probably does not even have a sense of time too. Siguro, dai na siya nalalangkag. One day, one month, one year, would probably not make any difference to her. I say probably, because the mind is mysterious. We don’t really know. If our conscious mind is not properly functioning, is there an inner mind (the soul perhaps) that is aware and understands everything that is happening.

Now, I seem to understand the reason why Sister Terry was too persistent to the point of being irritating in her wish that I should get married even at this age. My initial reaction was that she has a very limited view of life – either you raise a family or you stay single but if you do, you should be a priest or a nun. But I realize that it could be out of a sense of fear of what will happen when you grow old. Who will take care of you, if you don’t have your own family or a religious community? Oo nga naman. What will happen if Sor Victorina were not a nun? But it’s the choice one person makes but that’s another topic.

Going back to old age, we know that life is God’s gift, so it’s only Him who can take it back. But if he listens to our request, how long do we want to live? Ako, as long as I’m still productive and is able to contribute something to others. I do not wish to become a burden to others. Probably, I’m also afraid and I dismiss any thought that I would grow old requiring physical care. But then, it’s not really for us to decide.

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Geriatric Laughs

This came from Bing C-H.

Dai pa man garo kita arog kaini ano? Although I can relate with the third one. There was a time when I wanted to borrow the cellphone of my nephew's wife so I can upload the pictures she took into my computer. She went out of their room to go to the bathroom. I couldn't call her. Blanko bigla, I can't remember her name. Until she went out of the bathroom and returned to their room, I wasn't able to call her.

I had my worse senior moments though - I wanted to withdraw some money but left after getting back my ATM card and without waiting for the money to come out of the machine. This happened twice. Luckily, the third time, I still heard the sound of the machine when I turned my back. So I hurriedly went back to get the money.

Twice, I also experienced forgetting my PIN number after inserting my ATM card into the machine. Once, my card was blocked because I entered the wrong PIN number thrice.....

But while I tend to be forgetful, I can still develop some MS Access programs at my age. So, dai pa man garo Alz... memory gap pa lang.

----------------------------
An elderly gentleman... had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."
"Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"
_____________________________________________________________
Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: "Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?"
"I feel just like a newborn baby."
"Really!? Like a new born baby!?"
"Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants."

-----------------------------------------------
An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen . The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, "Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly."
The other man said, "What is the name of the restaurant?"
The first man thought and thought and finally said, "What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... The one that's red and has thorns."
"Do you mean a rose?"
"Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?"
-----------------------------------------------------------

Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
"I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown."

-------------------------------------------
Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember.
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. "Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?" he asks. "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream ?"
"Sure."
"Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" she asks.
"No, I can remember it."
"Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?"
He says, "I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."
"I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?" she asks.
Irritated, he says, "I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!
"Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment. "Where's my toast?"

-----------------------------------
A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:
"So I hear you're getting married?"
"Yep!"
"Do I know her?"
"Nope!"
"This woman, is she good looking?"
"Not really."
"Is she a good cook?"
"Naw, she can't cook too well."
"Does she have lots of money?"
"Nope! Poor as a church mouse."
"Well, then, is she good in bed?"
"I don't know."
"Why in the world do you want to marry her then?"
"Because she can still drive!"
__________________________
Three old guys are out walking. First one says, "Windy, isn't it?"
Second one says, "No, it's Thursday!"
Third one says, "So am I. Let's go get a beer."

"A man was telling his neighbor, "I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect."
"Really," answered the neighbor . "What kind is it?"
"Twelve thirty."
___________________________
Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm. A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, "You're really doing great, aren't you?"
Morris replied, "Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'"
The doctor said, "I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful."
_____________________________

One more. . !

A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.

The waitress asked kindly, "Crushed nuts?"
"No," he replied, "Arthritis."
________________________________________________

It's never worthwhile,Pack up your troubles in your old kitbag,And smile, smile, smile!

George Asaf

_________________________________________________
HAVE A NICE DAY

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Love Being Old!

Another take on ageing, dedicated to Men, Alot, Alan and other October celebrants.

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I wastaken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed,or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before theyunderstood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I,at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body,and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite thepitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just aswell forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody'sbeloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strengtha nd understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about whatother people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I likethe person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I amstill here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If Ifeel like it!)

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Do you have NEOTENY?

We've had fun and crazy postings these past few days, except for Men's History of Daet. So, for a change, here's a more serious stuff. I hope this article will inspire us to enjoy life, in spite of our age.

This came from the blog of Edicio de la Torre. Do you know him? He's a former SVD priest, a political activist who was jailed by Marcos, an intellectual who continues to engage in social development work. He has a lot of accomplishments to his credit. I'm lucky to have the opportunity to listen to his ideas recently. The NGO I work with now is a member of a consortium, where Ed is actively involved.

Neoteny
By Edicio de la Torre
July 30, 2007
http://edicio.wordpress.com

I didn’t encounter the word “neoteny” until I read it on page 20 of Leading for a Lifetime. Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas call it the one quality of overriding importance that they observe in everyone of the “geezers” who continue to play a leadership role at 70 plus years.
They have borrowed the term neoteny from zoology, where it is defined as ” the retention of youthful qualities by adults.”

But they extend it beyond youthful appearance to the qualities associated with youth - “curiosity, playfulness, eagerness, fearlessness, warmth, energy. They say that unlike those defeated by time and age, the geezer leaders they studied have remained much like the young geeks - “open, willing to take risks, hungry for knowledge and experience, courageous, eager to see what the new day brings.”

Reading through their description of neoteny, I was reminded of Dan Sullivan’s first “law” of lifetime growth: Always make your future bigger than your past.”

In their words, “time and loss steal the zest from the unlucky, and leave them looking longingly at the past…Neoteny keeps the fortunate of whatever age focused on all the marvelous undiscovered things to come.”

Almost 3000 years ago, Solon described himself in neotenic terms: “Each day he grew older and learned something new.”

Contemporary senators are called “solons” after him. Scanning our current crop of 23 senators, young and old, I want to believe that they can inherit not just Solon’s name but also his neoteny. However, a Bible passage immediately intrudes: “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!”

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DPS CLASS 67: SA AKING PAGTANDA

WHAT DO WE EXPECT WHEN WE GET OLDER?

Looked in the mirror lately only to find a few more wrinkles and gray hairs? Those are just a few of the changes you're likely to notice as you get older. But what exactly is going on with your body? Here's what you can expect as you age.

Natural changes with age
Regardless of how long you live, time takes a toll on the organs and systems in your body. How and when this occurs is unique to you. Some typical changes to expect as you age include:

Cardiovascular system

Over time, your heart muscle becomes a less efficient pump, working harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body. Also, your blood vessels become less elastic. Hardened fatty deposits may form on the walls of your arteries (atherosclerosis), narrowing the passageway through the vessels. The natural loss of elasticity, in combination with atherosclerosis, makes your arteries stiffer, causing your heart to work even harder to pump blood through them. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension).

Bones, muscles and joints

Your bones reach their maximum mass between ages 25 and 35. As you age, your bones shrink in size and density. One consequence is that you might become shorter. Gradual loss of density weakens your bones and makes them more susceptible to fracture. Muscles, tendons and joints generally lose some strength and flexibility as you age.

Digestive system

Swallowing and the motions that automatically move digested food through your intestines slow down as you get older. The amount of surface area within your intestines diminishes slightly. The flow of secretions from your stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine may decrease. These changes generally don't disrupt your digestive process, so you may never notice them. But you might notice more constipation.

Kidneys, bladder and urinary tract

With age, your kidneys become less efficient in removing waste from your bloodstream. Chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and some medications can damage your kidneys further. About 30 percent of people age 65 and older experience a loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence). Incontinence can be caused by a number of health problems, such as obesity, frequent constipation and chronic cough.

Women are more likely than men to have incontinence. Women who've been through menopause might experience stress incontinence as the muscles around the opening of the bladder (the sphincter muscles) lose strength and bladder reflexes change. As estrogen levels decline, the tissue lining the tube through which urine passes (urethra) becomes thinner. Pelvic muscles become weaker, reducing bladder support.

In older men, incontinence is sometimes caused by an enlarged prostate, which can block the urethra. This makes it difficult to empty your bladder and can cause small amounts of urine to leak.

Brain and nervous system

The number of cells (neurons) in your brain decreases with age, and your memory becomes less efficient. However, in some areas of your brain, the number of connections between the cells increases, perhaps helping to compensate for the aging neurons and maintain brain function. Your reflexes tend to become slower. You also tend to become less coordinated.

Eyes

With age, your eyes are less able to produce tears, your retinas thin, and your lenses gradually turn yellow and become less clear. In your 40s, focusing on objects that are close up may become more difficult. Later, the colored portions of your eyes (irises) stiffen, making your pupils less responsive. This can make it more difficult to adapt to different levels of light. Other changes to your lenses can make you sensitive to glare, which presents a problem when driving at night. Cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration are the most common problems of aging eyes.

Ears

Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting adults who are middle-aged and older. One in three people older than 60 and half of all people older than 85 have significant hearing loss. Over the years, sounds and noise can damage the hair cells of your inner ears.
Also, the walls of your auditory canals thin, and your eardrums thicken. You may have difficulty hearing high frequencies. Some people find it difficult to follow a conversation in a crowded room. Changes in the inner ear or in the nerves attached to it, earwax buildup and various diseases can all affect your hearing.

Teeth

How your teeth and gums respond to age depends on how well you've cared for them over the years. But even if you're meticulous about brushing and flossing, you may notice that your mouth feels drier and your gums have pulled back (receded). Your teeth may darken slightly and become more brittle and easier to break.

Most adults can keep their natural teeth all of their lives. But with less saliva to wash away bacteria, your teeth and gums become slightly more vulnerable to decay and infection. If you've lost most or all of your natural teeth, you might use dentures or dental implants as a replacement.

Some older adults experience dry mouth (xerostomia), which can lead to tooth decay and infection. Dry mouth can also make speaking, swallowing and tasting difficult. Oral cancer is more common among older adults. Your dentist checks for oral cancer when you go for regular cleanings and checkups.

Skin, nails and hair

With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile. You'll likely notice that you bruise more easily. Decreased production of natural oils may make your skin drier and more wrinkled. Age spots can occur, and skin tags are more common. Your nails grow at about half the pace they once did. Your hair may gray and thin. In addition, you likely perspire less — making it harder to stay cool in high temperatures and putting you at increased risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

How fast your skin ages depends on many factors. The most significant factor is sun exposure over the years. The more sun your skin has been exposed to, the more damage you may attain. Smoking adds to skin damage, such as wrinkles. Skin cancer also is a concern as you age. You have a 40 percent to 50 percent chance of getting skin cancer at least once by the time you reach 65.

Sleep

Sleep needs change little throughout adulthood. If you need six hours of sleep nightly, chances are you'll always need six hours — give or take 30 minutes. However, as you age, you'll likely find that you sleep less soundly, meaning you'll need to spend more time in bed to get the same amount of sleep. By age 75, some people find that they're waking up several times each night.

Weight

As you age, maintaining a healthy weight — or losing weight if you're overweight — may be more difficult. Your metabolism generally slows, meaning that your body burns fewer calories. Calories that were once used to meet your daily energy needs instead are stored as fat. Your level of activity may decrease, resulting in unwanted weight gain.

Sexuality

With age, sexual needs, patterns and performance may change. Women's vaginas tend to shrink and narrow, and the walls become less elastic. Vaginal dryness is a problem. All of this can make sex painful.

Impotence becomes more common in men as they age. By the time they're 65, up to one in four men have difficulty getting or keeping an erection about one in every four times they have sex. In others, it may take longer to get an erection, and it may not be as firm as it used to be.

How long can you live?
The longest documented human life span is 122 years. Though a life span that long is rare, improvements in medicine, science and technology during the last century have helped more people live longer, healthier lives. If you were born in the early 1900s in the United States, your life expectancy was only about 50 years. Today it's around 77.

And if you're sure you've already done too much damage to yourself to hope for a long life, think again. Researchers say it's never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle. For example, if you quit smoking now, your risk of heart disease begins to fall almost immediately. Living a healthy lifestyle can improve how you age. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and getting out for a daily walk are ways you can begin preparing now for your later years.

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SA AKING PAGTANDA

Here's something to touch our hearts . . .

SA AKING PAGTANDA

Sa aking pagtanda, unawain mo sana ako at pagpasensiyahan. Kapag dala ng kalabuan ng mata ay nakabasag ng pinggan o nakatapon ng sabaw sa hapag kainan, huwag mo sana akong kagagalitan. Maramdamin ang isang matanda, nagse-self-pity ako tuwing sisigawan mo ako.

Kapag mahina na ang tenga ko at hindi ko maintidihan ang sinasabi mo, huwag mo naman akong sabihan ng "bingi", paki-ulit na lang ang sinabi mo o pakisulat na lang. Pasensiya ka na anak, matanda na talaga ako.

Kapag mahina na tuhod ko, pagtiyagaan mo sana ako at tulungan tumayo, katulad ng pag-alalay ko sa iyo noong nag-aaral ka pa lamang lumakad.

Pagpasensiyahan mo sana ako kung ako man ay nagiging makulit at paulit-ulit na parang sirang plaka. Basta pakinggan mo na lang ako. Huwag mo sana akong pagtawanan o pagsasawaang pakinggan. Natatandaan mo anak noong bata ka pa? Kapag gusto mo ng laruan, paulit-ulit mo yong sasabihin, maghapon kang mangungulit hanggat hindi mo nakukuha ang gusto mo. Pinagtiyagaan ko ang kakulitan mo.

Pagpasensiyahan mo na rin sana ang aking amoy - amoy matanda, amoy-lupa. Huwag mo sana akong piliting maligo. Mahina na ang katawan ko, madaling magkasakit kapag nalamigan, huwag mo sana akong pandirihan. Natatandaan mo noong bata ka pa? Pinagtiyagaan ko din ikaw kahit amoy putik ka, at pinagtiyaggan kitang habulin sa ilalim ng kama kapag ayaw mong maligo.

Pagpasensiyahan mo sana kung madalas ako ay masungit, dala na marahil ito ng katandaan. Pagtanda mo, maintindihan mo rin.

Kapag may kunti kang panahon, magkuwentuhan naman tayo, kahit sandali lang. Inip na ako sa bahay, maghapong nag-iisa, walang kausap. Alam kong busy ka, subalit nais kong malaman mo na sabik na sabik na akong makakuwentuhan ka, kahit alam kong hindi ka interesado sa mga kuwento ko. Natatandaan mo anak noong bata ka pa? Pinagtiyagaan kong pakinggan at intindihin ang pautal-utal mong kuwento tungkol sa iyong teddy bear.

At kapag dumating ang sandali na ako ay magkasakit at maratay sa banig ng karamdaman, huwag mo sana akong pagsawaan alagaan. Pagpasensiyahan mo na sana kung ako man ay maihi o madumi sa higaan. pagtiyagaan mo sana akong alagaan sa mga huling sandali ng aking buhay, tutal hindi na naman ako magtatagal.

Kapag dumating ang sandali ng aking pagpanaw, hawakan mo sana ang aking kamay at bigyan mo ako ng lakas ng loob na harapin ang kamatayan.

At huwag kang mag-alala, kapag kaharap ko na ang Diyos na lumikha, ibubulong ko sa kanya na pagpalain ka sana . . . dahil naging mapagmahal ka sa iyong ama't ina . . . .



Written by Rev. Fr. Ariel Robles
CWL Spiritual Director
St. Augustine Parish
Baliuag, Bulacan

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Facing the Inevitable: Ageing/Maturing

Apr 9, 2007

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR THE ADULTS

I . Face and accept the reality of getting old, its consequences and the limitations which growing old brings. Act and behave your age. Quit fooling yourself by trying to look like you were in your youth.

II . Focus on enjoying people, not on indulging in or accumulating material things.

III . Plan to spend whatever you have saved. You deserve to enjoy it and the few healthy years you have left. Travel if you can afford it. Don't leave anything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leaving anything, you may even cause more trouble when you Are gone.

IV . Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.

V . Enjoy your grandchildren (if you are blessed with any) but don't be their full time baby sitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don't have any guilt about refusing to baby sit anyone's kids, including your own grandkids. Your parental obligation is to your children. After you have raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing and babysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own off-springs.

VI . Accept physical weakness, sickness and other physical pains. It is a part of the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow.

VII . Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you do not have them, it's probably too late.

VIII . Just enjoy your life with your spouse, children, grandchildren and friends. People, who truly love you, love you for yourself, not for what you have. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.

IX . Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peace of mind and peace of soul.

X . Befriend death. It's a natural part of the life cycle. Don't be afraid of it. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death but for a new life.

Ed canela

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