Senior Citizen

 

I need a card to tell me?

This morning a friend brought me my post, and among bills, birthday cards and junk mail was an official looking envelope from the Ministry for Senior Citizens. Out of the envelope tumbled a silver card officially identifying me as over 62, and therefore able to receive certain discounts.

 

I am not sure about other countries, do they have a ministry just for the seniors of the land? Do they automatically send out discount cards the day before your 62nd birthday so you have it in time?

 

In fact, even though I feel very young at heart it is very comforting that this government also has one member of the Knesset,  Uri Orbach who is the minster for senior citizens and he is in post to  deal with the issues facing an ever increasing aged population.

 

So the day has come, this week a social worker and I will fill in the forms for my Israeli government pension, and I am then officially a pensioner.

 

When I was twenty I really never though much about getting older. Now I really don't feel that I am older.

 

Over the years I have gown, developed, matured and accepted nature and the clicking clock.

I am so lucky to live in the age of social media, and can daily get updates from my old school and youth club friends, although we are all grandparents,  we log on  play word games and chat together,  seeming  as young as ever, oblivious to the years and distances between us.  I have to say we have all aged very well and not a Botox mark in sight.

 

Because I teach online, I speak daily  to so many incredibly interesting people from all over the globe , about a multitude of fascinating subjects,therefore I am better informed about current affairs than I ever was in my youth; my mind is constantly  stimulated. I might not emerge from my village on the hilltop very often but I have the world at my fingertips.

 

In some societies the elderly are discarded, in others revered for their wisdom and insight. I realized today when I gave a shuir, that life experience is an amazing advantage over youth. I might not be able to climb a mountain, but at least I know how to circumnavigate it, along with most of what life throws up at me without throwing  me into a tizzy.

 

In my youth I was all over the place, searching for something franticly burning the candle at both ends, rarely listening to any opinion of anyone but my own. ( and I hardly stopped to listen to that!) Oy the frazzle, it was tiring being that dizzy. 

 

Now I am a grandmother, how can that be? where did those years go? I am so proud when I proclaim grandparent status its a very important milestone in ones life. However, I live among young people, many of my friends are half my age, they keep me young. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and skills with the younger generation when asked too.

 

Maturity , perceptiveness and the ability to know when to advise and when to keep silent   is such a great gift that comes with age.

 

I totally embrace my senior citizen status, getting here has been a long and at times somewhat difficult journey, so thank you Ministry of Senior citizens for recognizing this journey and my achievements, I humbly accept your silver  senior citizen discount card.