THE EASIEST WAY TO LIVE LONGER
posted by Brigita Wallova @ 3:23 PM
6 comments
SENIORSTORIES - SLOVAKIA
Príbeh môjho života. Európsky projekt pre občanov vo veku od 55 rokov. Slovenskí seniori píšu príbehy a skúsenosti zo svojho života.
6 Comments:
A Few Pieces of Advice How to Stay Young
Dear Friends,
I am sure most of you have thought about how to stay young how to enjoy life despite your „physical age“.
The other day I was sent an interesting message and I thought it would be worth sharing it with you.
Firstly
Try to throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.
I have been a teacher of physical education all my life . I enjoyed my job tremendously and I could not imagine my life without going down to the gym despite the fact that I reached the age when people normallly retire.So I keep on teaching.My „students“ are people from all walks of life, university undergraduates, adults even seniors.Giving lessons to my „senior ladies“, I often call them in a very familiar way „grannies“, is the best part of my job.The lessons are not only about giving but also getting a lot appreciation and love.Twice a year we take a trip to Croatia , where we do our exercise by the sea.There is nothing like that, I can tell you. I have attached some pictures of my „grannies“ at the seaside and in the gym.
Secondly
Keep learning:Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle.
"An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!
Last April I started studying English. My „schoolmates“ are of the same age as I am, we enjoy our classes a lot. Besides the language you get the chance to learn about new cultures which helps you to be more tolerant .
Thirdly
Enjoy the simple things.
Remember the best things in life are free.
Laugh often , long a loud. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots of time with him or her.
Fourthly
Surround yourself with what you love:
Whether it's family, pets, memories, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
I try to give as much love to my family as possible.Both my husband and my son need a lot of attention and care. I do my best to make them feel that they are important for me.
And in my room I surround myself with objects wich might look good -for-nothing or even childish at first sight, but they are dear to my heart. I have a collection of teddy bears due to the fact that my surname „Medvedova“ means „Bear“ in English translation, and I got a lot of teddy bears from my friends and students as a present.
Fifthly
Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it.
If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
Hi Everybody,
I was „only „ 55 years of age when I retired.Nedless to say that I was looking forward to it. Being the mother of three children I had been through some „hard“ times and I thought that
I would catch up with the „lost time“ when I stopped going out to work.
I was looking forward to reading books, doing crosswords and I was determined to devote more time to my most favourite hobby-needle work.
My family soon realised that I have practically „ nothing „ to do and they started asking me to do favours for them:like picking up my eldest daughter´s children from the nursery, do a bit of shopping a bit of cleaning etc.After some time my grandchildren refused to go to the nursery and they preferred to saty with me.It was difficult even impossible to refuse.Some months later I felt more tired than ever before, and I had to explain that I would not like to spend the rest of my life in a kind of „standby „ position being fully at my family´s disposal.
So I started attending classes of English for seniors and later I found myself a part time job at the Košice Theatre as an usher. I enjoy both my classes and my job very much.At both places you have the chance to meet new people and experience something new and unusual.
So my advice is: do not give up your dreams when you are 55+ , do not get stuck /especially women/ in your everyday household routines, try to be yourself and go out for new things.
After an exhausting day, when I used to work as a full-time teacher ,I often said to myself:
„I wish I were a pensioner!“ -I could have a great time,just to lazy about read books for hours,and do what I really feel like doing., without any fixed „timetable“.
After having retired there was practically nothing that could prevent me from making my dreams come true. But things are never as easy that they look….
At the beginning I enjoyed a lot just to lazy about in my bed , my sweet „spoilt“ dog jumped into my bed as soon as she noticed that I was not sleeping any longer and I went on daydreaming with my little dog at my side for long minutes……………
One day we arranged for a dinner to celebrate my husband´s birthday. We had a lovely time , there were something like 15 of us sitting round the table full of delicious things to eat and drink. We looked very much like an Italian family, loud, laughing , talking. At the beginning we were chatting happily about current family affairs and I had no problem to join in . Later on my daughters and their families started discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the latest type of a certain mobile phone and all of a sudden they switched to computer games and programmes. This was the point were I was completely lost. No idea what they were talking about.
When the celebration was over and my children left I realised that I could not go on like this . In a few years time I would be hardly able to join in my children´s and grandchildren´s conversation. This is what I wanted to avoid .
We bought ourselves a PC with my husband and we asked our grandcghildren to be our „instructors“, they were more than happy to do so.
Now I frequently „surf“ on the internet. Being an amateur herbalist I am looking for information on herbs, but I often come across a number of other useful information. And I often use skype to chat with my friends and grandchildren.
Now when we sit round the table with my children´s family I feel much more relaxed, I feel much more confident.
I have nearly forgotten that I have to insert a new SIM card with an extended memory into my new mobile phone…………
It is pretty easy to get information or pieces of good advice how to live longer , but have you ever thought of how to find out that you have definitely grown old and there is nothing to do just get used to the idea !
Firstly, you feel pain in every inch of your body, if you don´t you are in a big trouble for sure.
The spark in your eyes is only the reflection of the sun on your glasses.
You need new glasses to find your old ones.
If you bite into the steak, your teeth will stay in it.
Secondly, your children turned to be middle-aged.
Furthermore,you become a member of a senior club, but it is beyond your strength to get to the club meetings.
You were given a rocking chair as a present but you will not have the strength to set it in motion.
Moreover, your house is too big and you medicine box is too small.
You switch off the light in your bedroom not because you are up to some “mischief”, but you are extremly worried about your electricity bill.
And finally, you are ready to share your experiences but nobody really asks you to do so.
PISTA
Maria Martel (Ingenio-Gran Canaria) said:
Dear Eva:
At this moment I feel very happy, our teacher read your history to us and he watched me at the eyes. The same happened to me happened to me at your age. Friend, a warm hug. I hope to see you soon. A kiss.
Maria.
Leonor Sánchez. (Ingenio-Gran Canaria) said:
Dear Eva:
I also have gone through that age of fifty and five but I have not reached that conclusion yet because I still work and thanks to this my life is full of many things, because I desire to get home to do them, but I do not have any spare time, for that reason I think that when I retire, if God wants so, I will make many things, like reading, which I like very much, doing needle work, embroidery, etc…, they are so many things that I think to spend all my time on them to enjoy to top. What you say, Eva, is a great truth for many women.
Leonor.
Alicia Vega (Ingenio-Gran Canaria) said:
Dear Eva:
How I would like to be in your place, so independent with the age you are. I would be near you to make a lot of work together, because I like the fact you are so humanitarian with all those that surround to you. Ciao, a strong kiss.
Alicia.
Antonia Ramirez (Ingenio-Gran Canaria) said:
Dear Eva:
I loved everything you told us, the tasks that you did and others. But what it fascinated me most was the fact you wantd to work after so many efforts, that surpasses everything, because it also happens to me; I also have grandchildren, but I would like to have something more. I hope it will be this way.
Antonia.
Dear Friends in Gran Canaria,
I am very happy to hear that you found my story interesting, you are right you should never give up
your ideals, and it does not matter how old you are..... so just go on ......
Lots of love
EVA
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