You are not a day older than you think you are

 It is so weird.

Lately, I´ve been bumping into people I used to know from the time I went to the Music Academy in Stockholm. They are my age or little older. It was rather perplexing to see that they have taken the kind of “old man´s atittude” you recognize from people of advanced age…

How can I describe this sordid demeanour? It is basically fear…Yes, fear and suspicion. But also unhappiness,  resentment, disappointment, bitter restlessness…

Indeed I could detect also some kind of vindictiveness. I could see in their glances that they felt sort of cheated…who fooled, disappointed and deceived them…?

For sure, society with its false and detestably empty promises, this erroneous Zeitgeist which has no inkling as to what life and living is about. By all means, they have their share of fault, to have allowed to be deceived by the cheap ubiquitous propaganda, not having had the courage to examine the reality of things.

One example is a guy I know – he is 45, quite a good musician, and since he already sees himself as an old man, he has given up…Life is already gone, according to him. Another jazz pianist is around 50 and because he thinks he is too old, he has attracted all thinkable diseases. A striking example is a woman, once famous opera singer – a gifted person, you never expected her to fall victim of such fear and deception. Making a name for herself and an international career was no guarantee that she would find insight…I hardly recognized her, she had become a shadow of herself…

Isn´t it so, the most cherished things in this world, like success, fame, career, count for nothing in terms of real understanding of life…

As a conspicuous contrast that ageing is relative, I met a very nice Swedish man some months ago. We were both looking to a beautifully maintained Volvo from´62. I don´t much care for cars, but that automobile was a jewel, we couldn´t take our eyes off it. An old but gorgeous, kind of “smiling” red car in perfect shape. Such a great metaphor for life…

We started to talk in wonderment over that beauty. We continued chatting as we were heading in the same direction.

You could guess this guy was a former athlete, he was so vital and alive, kind of younger than a youngster – he was talking with brusque and vivid gestures, smiling with a twinkle in his eye. Great encounter. I couldn´t help asking him at some point, how old he was.

“Have a guess”, he said rather amused. It was a hard one. He sort of felt ageless, exuding so much contagious force, well-being and gaiety. I gathered he was somewhere between 45 – 52. He was pleased. “Ha, I am 85…”, he exclaimed roguishly.

I couldn´t believe my ears. He was laughing copiously. “What´s your secret”, I asked dumbfounded.

“You see, I´ve always kept my body and mind in constant exercise. I also have a beautiful wife 40 years younger. But the most important:

Everything is here”, pointing almost solemnly to his head, “you are not a day older than what you think you are…