Srini, i am printing out your message to hang it near my desk and remind me of the importance of passion without addiction. Happy Diwali to all.
Radhika > . . > > > On Tue, Nov 6, 2018 at 11:30 PM <silklist-requ...@lists.hserus.net> wrote: > > > Send silklist mailing list submissions to > > silklist@lists.hserus.net > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > https://lists.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/silklist > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > > silklist-requ...@lists.hserus.net > > > > You can reach the person managing the list at > > silklist-ow...@lists.hserus.net > > > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > > than "Re: Contents of silklist digest..." > > > > > > Today's Topics: > > > > 1. Re: My thoughts on old age (Srini RamaKrishnan) > > 2. Re: My thoughts on old age (Deepa Mohan) > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2018 10:38:45 +0530 > > From: Srini RamaKrishnan <che...@gmail.com> > > To: "silklist@lists.hserus.net" <silklist@lists.hserus.net> > > Subject: Re: [silk] My thoughts on old age > > Message-ID: > > <CAA1+KuvjJmQpRn= > > fjfd6cedbrxcq1ojxbxma89dx2cgcgg5...@mail.gmail.com> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > > > Dear Deepa, > > > > I am young enough to be your son, so I cannot speak on old age, but I can > > speak a little on vulnerability. > > > > I know a little of - what it is to experience a chronic illness, be the > > sole care taker for old and infirm family members, experience a rapid > > deceleration in income and physical freedom among other things. > > > > When life changes under us our life understanding requires modification. > > > > We have all been utterly vulnerable as babies, dependent on others for > > nearly everything - but there's not a single case of mental trauma from > > being born vulnerable, babies have the most blissful smiles when their > > basic needs are met. So we all know how to be vulnerable and yet blissful > > in our core, needing only the most basic things. It's the layers of cruft > > that we add on during the process of living that causes any suffering. > > > > Thanks to technology and innovation at least some people today have some > > kind of pension or passive income to keep them financially stable in old > > age, and there are advanced medical interventions for when diseases > > threaten life. > > > > This wasn't always the case, and so, for this we must be thankful, old > age > > isn't as daunting as it once was. > > > > The inner experience of old age is then what I find threatens next - to > be > > robbed of the sense pleasures for one. When the hearing isn't good enough > > for music or conversation, when the digestive system cannot tolerate > one's > > favorite foods, when the eyes want to remain closed longer than they want > > to be open, when the brain is no longer sharp enough to enjoy sense > inputs > > etc. Of course this doesn't happen all at once, or at all for some - but > > for many if they live into their 80s, this is what life becomes. > > > > Losing a life purpose is another - it's rather hard to keep chewing on > the > > sugarcane when one doesn't know what more one can extract from it. Rather > > than have bleeding gums we stop chewing on the sugarcane - as in the case > > of your relative. Though some people may face this dilemma even on > > retirement from a career or bereavement. > > > > If I may rephrase your question "When does old age begin?" as "when does > > vulnerability and change begin?", then, was there ever a time when it > > wasn't so? > > > > To begin with the obvious, we are living on a piece of rock spinning and > > hurtling through space at an astonishing pace. We simply tune out the > chaos > > and uncertainty of it, and imagine a life on our terms. Life is never on > > anyone's terms - ever - it's merely a dance - we don't set the tune, but > > we can learn to move gracefully with the music. There's always music, > even > > in what may sound like cacophony - we only need to learn to move with it. > > Old age is just a new tempo to the tune. > > > > We must prepare for being vulnerable even if we are confident in our > plans > > to secure the future. Not just in old age, but at any moment our life > > circumstances can be altered totally. > > > > If we can enjoy life only as long as things are under our control, we are > > usually in for trouble. We do significantly better if we hold life loose, > > not being attached to or identified with any job or passion or interest > or > > person or health or wealth such that its disappearance wouldn't threaten. > > > > An individual identity is a bit like adding salt to food, a little goes a > > long way. Too much investment in a limited identity or preference will > > diminish life and dull intelligence. If our whole life is spent in > > acquiring labels - identities of father, son, boss, rich man, public > > intellectual, sports person etc. then when the labels are taken away > > there's often great suffering. > > > > This is what the wisdom teachings of this culture say, seek self > > realization - find who we are beyond the labels, beyond the limited > > identities. > > > > Happy Deepavali! > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Message: 2 > > Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2018 12:49:16 +0530 > > From: Deepa Mohan <mohande...@gmail.com> > > To: Intelligent Conversation <silklist@lists.hserus.net> > > Subject: Re: [silk] My thoughts on old age > > Message-ID: > > < > > capvjvbbo2hfdvde5man_kx4u7_q9qw0moll+nguxhuur8nu...@mail.gmail.com> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > > > I think I will savour this message, read it several times, and then > > respond. Happy Deepavali to you, too, my very dear....you are right, why > > hang labels on you? I count myself very fortunate to know you and I do > > learn a lot from you. > > > > On Tue, Nov 6, 2018 at 10:39 AM Srini RamaKrishnan <che...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > > Dear Deepa, > > > > > > I am young enough to be your son, so I cannot speak on old age, but I > can > > > speak a little on vulnerability. > > > > > > I know a little of - what it is to experience a chronic illness, be the > > > sole care taker for old and infirm family members, experience a rapid > > > deceleration in income and physical freedom among other things. > > > > > > When life changes under us our life understanding requires > modification. > > > > > > We have all been utterly vulnerable as babies, dependent on others for > > > nearly everything - but there's not a single case of mental trauma from > > > being born vulnerable, babies have the most blissful smiles when their > > > basic needs are met. So we all know how to be vulnerable and yet > blissful > > > in our core, needing only the most basic things. It's the layers of > cruft > > > that we add on during the process of living that causes any suffering. > > > > > > Thanks to technology and innovation at least some people today have > some > > > kind of pension or passive income to keep them financially stable in > old > > > age, and there are advanced medical interventions for when diseases > > > threaten life. > > > > > > This wasn't always the case, and so, for this we must be thankful, old > > age > > > isn't as daunting as it once was. > > > > > > The inner experience of old age is then what I find threatens next - to > > be > > > robbed of the sense pleasures for one. When the hearing isn't good > enough > > > for music or conversation, when the digestive system cannot tolerate > > one's > > > favorite foods, when the eyes want to remain closed longer than they > want > > > to be open, when the brain is no longer sharp enough to enjoy sense > > inputs > > > etc. Of course this doesn't happen all at once, or at all for some - > but > > > for many if they live into their 80s, this is what life becomes. > > > > > > Losing a life purpose is another - it's rather hard to keep chewing on > > the > > > sugarcane when one doesn't know what more one can extract from it. > Rather > > > than have bleeding gums we stop chewing on the sugarcane - as in the > case > > > of your relative. Though some people may face this dilemma even on > > > retirement from a career or bereavement. > > > > > > If I may rephrase your question "When does old age begin?" as "when > does > > > vulnerability and change begin?", then, was there ever a time when it > > > wasn't so? > > > > > > To begin with the obvious, we are living on a piece of rock spinning > and > > > hurtling through space at an astonishing pace. We simply tune out the > > chaos > > > and uncertainty of it, and imagine a life on our terms. Life is never > on > > > anyone's terms - ever - it's merely a dance - we don't set the tune, > but > > > we can learn to move gracefully with the music. There's always music, > > even > > > in what may sound like cacophony - we only need to learn to move with > it. > > > Old age is just a new tempo to the tune. > > > > > > We must prepare for being vulnerable even if we are confident in our > > plans > > > to secure the future. Not just in old age, but at any moment our life > > > circumstances can be altered totally. > > > > > > If we can enjoy life only as long as things are under our control, we > are > > > usually in for trouble. We do significantly better if we hold life > loose, > > > not being attached to or identified with any job or passion or interest > > or > > > person or health or wealth such that its disappearance wouldn't > threaten. > > > > > > An individual identity is a bit like adding salt to food, a little > goes a > > > long way. Too much investment in a limited identity or preference will > > > diminish life and dull intelligence. If our whole life is spent in > > > acquiring labels - identities of father, son, boss, rich man, public > > > intellectual, sports person etc. then when the labels are taken away > > > there's often great suffering. > > > > > > This is what the wisdom teachings of this culture say, seek self > > > realization - find who we are beyond the labels, beyond the limited > > > identities. > > > > > > Happy Deepavali! > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Subject: Digest Footer > > > > _______________________________________________ > > silklist mailing list > > silklist@lists.hserus.net > > https://lists.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/silklist > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > End of silklist Digest, Vol 107, Issue 3 > > **************************************** > > >
