When I grow old, I don't want to retire.

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2 years ago

Observing the nature and places I have been in my life where I encountered a lot of elders that makes me more thinks of the possibilities what if I become one of them? What would happen to me if I grow old? what happened to us if our hair becomes white instead of black?

Image 1: Credit to Filipe Almeida via Unsplash

When you go to an Asian country, one thing you will notice when visiting markets and vendor side is that lot of elders are working or doing the arrangement of their good in their spot for establishments.

I ask elders as part of the interview during our field activity when I was still in college why they still working even their age wasn't that applicable of doing the job, some of them are still doing the hand of young works and others still carrying a huge and large bag of load. They just smile and says they don't want to be a burden.

Burden? I ask, again he smiled but don't see any bitterness at his teeth. Some people could either make their family proud and some think they are a burden. This is another pain from reality, only those educated and rich could be retired while those lay laying individual in the society remains to work hard even in the age where they must already retire.

Elders are precious not to be detained.

One of the best Filipino cultures is that people respect and care for their elders where some countries think of elders as burdens when they cant be productive and helpful either in the family or in the industry.

Image 2: Credit to Stéphane Juban via Unsplash

In the place where I stay, I oftentimes see a lot of elders who are working and passing by with a load of exchangeable items to sell. I also seen old men still working hard in the middle of the sun with their buffalo (carabao) from planting to harvesting. If you will ask the reason why they do that? "Calabaw lang ang tumatanda" or translated as "Only the Buffalo could grow old" never think they are too old for the field job they work for.

Comes the bitterness of reality, some elders are detained in a confinement. Those elders who don't have a family to take care of or have family who has no time to care. they confine the elders in the four-sided wall where they could meet their co elders every day and every night.

Are they deserve those kinds of attention? well, the reality could be hurt sometimes that not all parent gives loved and care to their children.

The elderly are left on the mountain.

Image 3: Credit to windowsonworlds.com

One of the unforgettable stories I heard is the "The Ballad of Narayama". I was in Elementary I think I was in grade four when I heard the story of Japanese who send their elders in the mountain to starve. I remember the story is also streaming the Netflix, you could catch the movie, but I heard wasn't the movie but the written story of the book the movie had based on.

The son loved his mother too much that even his wife hates her mother-in-law for being old and just a burden of the family he still insisted to put his mother in the middle of the forest and stays there forever that makes the wife and husband quarrel every day.

But that is village law and tradition so his mother should obey, but his mother is weak and fragile, her feet are weak especially in long walked. He decided to carry him on the trail but the problem is that no one had come back if they enter the forest that's is the worry of his mother.

At the end of the story, the mother revealed everything the reason for her injured feet was because she protects him when he's a child, and another secret she admitted is that she makes a way for his son to come back to the village when he carries the old woman she also cut the twigs of trees she can handle to chop so he may know the way back home.

When I grow old, I don't want to retire.

I tell you honestly, I'm afraid of getting old. I was afraid that one day comes and I will face retirement. Well, there is a benefit of retiring and applying to be verified as a senior citizen. But the idea of being old with nothing left in the savings, no financial stability, and security makes me worry more not for myself but for my family in the future.

Image 4: Credit to Pelayo Arbués via Unsplash

Seeing those elders coping and still fighting every day for their food or allowance makes me more eager to work and dream more for my parents, so I won't see them in that situation where they think being old is being a burden on the family. I am not that perfect child but I won't let that happened to them.

I found this topic face of interest this day for maybe tells you not to be feared of getting old but to think the possibilities to happened when we were old, and face the retirement, tell me more thing I don't know and you knew about this topic.

When did Nescafe Classic Coffee ask for whom we get woke-ups? for me I woke up to plan my future, how about you?


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2 years ago

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Not being financially capable when we're old sounds so terrible. I discovered FIRE or Financial Independence Retire Early a few years though. And it changed my perspective. The traditional retirement wherein someone will retire at around 60 is what I pictured myself back then, kasi yun yung nakikita ko sa lahat. But then, retiring early sounds fun for me. Kaya as early as now, I want to work and earn. It is for my future self. Retirement for me means freedom. I can work on things that I am passionate of.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

We had a conversation with a friend about this. She asked her daughter what will she will do if the time comes that she is old. Mind you that this kid loves taking care of her grandma, my friend's mother who lives with them. Her kid said that she, my friend, will have other people taking care of her. Kind of sad and hurtful to hear but I think that's the way things are. We are now adopting the western culture of putting our elders in home for the aged where they can be taken care of by other people.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

ouch, but for the child maybe she will get caregiver so she will go to work in the future yet looked at the grandma during night.

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2 years ago

I hope so that that will be the case.

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2 years ago

"I tell you honestly, I'm afraid of getting old. I was afraid that one day comes and I will face retirement"

same boy. Same. Habang patanda ng patanda ako nakakatakot. As in andami kong what if's, tsaka ayoko pa...eneenjoy ko muna buhay kong ganito. Pero diko nalang iniisip yung mga bagay na... Alam mo na. 🥺

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2 years ago

Tanders kana uyyy hahaha ayaw pa aminin kasi LOL

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2 years ago

nakakatakot rin minsan haratin ung katotohanan na lahat tumatanda, kung pwede lang sana gusto ko stay 20 ako

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2 years ago

Nakakalungkot Lang talaga tumanda na walang mag aaruga sayo. Yung dahil matanda kana at walang ng kakayahang tumulong e gaganunin ka nalang. My father is now 62 years old and Takot ako na iwan sya dito sa bahay kasi nga wala na mama ko , Hindi patay ah haha. Basta nag disappear. Sabi nya kaya Naman daw nya mag Isa dito pero nalulungkot ako na isipin na dadating na sa puntong ganon. May bahay na Kasi kami , Yung bahay ng in-laws ko Kasi bunso si hubby , ayaw Naman nya na isasama ko sya dun kapag doon na kami for good. Haysss Basta Alam ko Lang never ko pababayaan papa ko .

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User's avatar Yen
2 years ago

i can relate to this, sir. i mean who does like to grow old? i am afraid grow old too because that also means you cannot do all the things you used to do when you are still young. but we cannot reverse time nor go back to being young so better enjoy our todays and prepare for the future.

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2 years ago

Gusto ko kahit 65 lang o kaya makita kk yung anak ko na ikasal sa mapapangasawa niya at lumaki ang apo ko na kasama kk 🥰😊🥺 ayoko tumanda ng sobra na bongga. Gusto ko Grow old with my Love 😅😊

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Of course grow old with your love but remember that walang forever 🤣

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2 years ago

I think I've already heard that story before, I can't remember when and where hahah it's just that it sounds too familiar.

It will be my biggest achievement if I reach the age of 60 lol

I promise to myself that if finally have a stable job and stable salary, I will give everything that my mama wants, no matter what it is. Because she's getting older na. I just want her to enjoy life, sit and relax. It's a kind of paying back all the things that she've given to us.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Another mabait na bata ito hehe

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2 years ago

Reading this also made me worried a bit as how my life would be like when I grow old...

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2 years ago

Let's do plan with insurance companies na 🤣

$ 0.00
2 years ago

True! Habang bata pa, dapat meron na. Masmura pa.

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2 years ago

Para kanino ka bumabangon?

nescafe

Seriously, it doesn't matter how old/young I am. Question is....can you still live living?

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Ouch.. It's like you must have the reason to live along 😂

$ 0.00
2 years ago

ayoko tumanda nang matagal..gusto ko hanggang 50-60 lang ako😂😂

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Owww hahaha ready na ba? 😂

$ 0.00
2 years ago

maybe????????hahahah

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2 years ago

Kaya mandin ako gusto ko hanggang 50 years old lang ako. Ayaw kong mas tumanda, baka pag nangyari yon - ang rason ko din ee baka maging pabigat lang ako sa family ko 😵. Kaya mas maaagang aalis, ee si mabuti.

Pero grabi din talaga yong iba no, may iba pang sinsaktan pa ang magulang nila kasi masyadong pabigat. Parang sa fb ko nakita yon ee. Grabi lang, nag hirap na dalhin ng syam na buwan, minahal, inalagaan at binigay lahat ng nais. Nong sila naman ang nangangailangan ng kahit alalay lang sana, yon lang dipa magawa. 😒

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Kaya nge eh.. Dami sa FB at kay Tulfo 🤣

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2 years ago

Para sa pamilya ko ako bumabangon talaga. Sila yung lakas ko at hanggat nanjan sila lalo ng yung mama ko. Kakayanin ko lahat.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Apaka bait naman palang data nito hene .

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Akoo, bumabangon ako para kay crush 😅🥰I think the story familiar to me, I heard the story and it has great lesson wants to convey. When I reach the stage of retirement, I would rather choose to live the rest of my life to province because I want to enjoy the life without stress and away from toxic environment and people.

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2 years ago

yup naging movie pa yan eh hehe. ako din i want to retire toa farm..

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2 years ago

I woke up because I still need to continue my goals in life. If I'm done with all of it then of course I will surely retire and live my remaining life if only God's allows me ends up like this.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

he will allow that to happen hehe, we woke up everyday with goals is signifies we were really a dedicated to face the new morning.

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2 years ago

Exactly, and it's motivating as well.

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2 years ago

Getting old inevitable in our life ..but we should not be sad about it.....Sana wala ng naghihirap na mga elders na nagwowork makakain lang araw araw...I'll do everything para hindi maging ganun parents ko and my grandparents.When I get old I just want to spend my remaining time with my family , traveling together ..enjoying each moment .

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2 years ago

ako din, i don't want to see them suffering for hunger or missing things in their life.

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2 years ago

Awesome article.... We are young at heart but very old outside

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2 years ago

indeed, its like we think too much of the what if's for the future. thank for reading thou.

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2 years ago

Yes we do!

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2 years ago

Getting old is inevitable. I'm still enjoying my parents. But when I grow old I'd love to retire.

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2 years ago

every one of us wants the idea of retiring. when we fulfilled what is needed and gained the interest of our years of hard work. thanks for reading..

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2 years ago

I wake up every morning to live :) and I am not scared to get old :D

Your idea of preparing for your retirement in the future is good, but don't forget to enjoy your today :)

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2 years ago

Indeed.. Enjoy the life that we are still young and ready to mingle LOL 🤣

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2 years ago

Haha, pwede :D Bka sa kaka-worry mo sa pagtanda d mo maenjoy ang kabataan mo :D

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2 years ago

I hope our generation is the generation who will try their best to stop this problem. Sana tayo na yung henerasyon na magpapakita na kailanman di sila naging pabigat

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2 years ago

Tama.. Let the millennials be the chain brokers and let us be the one.. 😉

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2 years ago

this depends on culture different bro .. such as if you become old but you have no son still as well you have no money in bank then you must need to lead your own life and do not be burden of other .. on the other hand, if you have son but son do not like you to carry you then you must need to do this.. hope you get bro

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Oww I get it, that's the tradition you had? I can't imagine that LOL.. I have uncle and he wasnt married yet and he's getting old, but he lend me as his son.. Hahaha

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2 years ago

this is not tradition bro but this is fact

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2 years ago

Ang sakit naman ng story about dun sa Japanese tradition. Responsibilidad pa rin naman natin na alagaan ang ating mga magulang sa pagtanda nila. It's our way of paying back sa mga time na inalagaan nila tayo.

$ 0.05
2 years ago

It's really based in true story, old tradition but now wala na..

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2 years ago

Buti naman at nawala na.

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2 years ago

Of course, I want to retire.. It's the stage in which we should rest and don't mind the world anymore But pitty those elderly who have no one on their sides.. As much as possible, I don't want to leave my parents yet..

$ 0.05
2 years ago

Hahaha honestly I can imagine that you are retiring yet facing the market of crypto in a computer 🤭

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2 years ago