The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.106)

2019 • 01 06 eature “I am proud to grow old.” Cai Kuan, a centenarian, wonders why other elderly people regularly dye their hair to cover their white strands to look younger. She stopped doing that by the age of 50, for she has accepted the inevitable effect of aging and does not see a need to do something against it. To her, elderly people have their own look, aura, joy and sorrow. According to statistics from Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior, one out of every seven people in the population is an elderly person. Taiwan officially became an aged society by April 2018. Life expectancy has also improved and is projected to increase four to five years by the year 2061. The life expectancy for women has also increased to 87.55 years. Although longevity has become more common, aging is still fearedbymany, especially the thought of health and physiological deteriorations. This, coupled with changes in social relations, have made elderly people more prone to mental disorders such as depression. The challenges of adapting to the changes in life also lead to a higher suicide rate among the elderly people compared to other age groups. “Shying away from death is something unhealthy and abnormal, which robs the second half of life of its purpose.” In the 1930s, Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, advocated a positive, life-enhancing approach to aging, in which the key is to turn inward and find a new sense of meaning and purpose in life, instead of being attached to the first half of life and fearing death at the same time. What is the significance of life post retirement,withmuchlessfamilyresponsibilities and barely any contributions to the labour market? Living in this age of longevity, how would you like to live your golden years and what would be your life’s purpose by then? Older, but not less a positive force For Cai Kuan, the meaning and purpose in life during old age gradually became clear to her through an explore-and-search process.When she first retired from work, she had no plans for her old age. Like most people, to her then, growing old was to enjoy life. As a working woman and the sole breadwinner of the family, she had her own perceptions towards religion until she got to know of Tzu Chi by coincidence. The spirit of the Dharma Masters at the Jing Si Abode, who helped the poor and needy people despite leading a tough life, reminded her of her dream of helping others, something she could not fulfil due to her difficult life having to support her family with her income as a midwife. She then felt encouraged and broke free from self-doubting – owing to the misconception that “old people are useless” – and began to make volunteering a part of her life. “Show the grace and capability of old people!” Following the teaching of Master Cheng Yen, Cai Kuan has actively participated in various voluntary work and her dedication has impressed the young volunteers. During a home visit, I witnessed how Cai Kuan interacted with the care recipient family with much warmth and love. Her kind words in their casual conversations touched and warmed their hearts, and they naturally opened up to share more about their lives. When Cai Kuan went to see the care recipient’s son, who had difficulty moving about, the whole family beamed with joy. To them, it was an immense blessing to receive words of encouragement from a centenarian. True enough, “showing the grace and