Feeling young in old age is a privilege not given to more than a minuscule fraction of population anywhere across the earth. However, acting young in old age is a different ballgame altogether. Memories of childhood are not easy to come by but those of boyhood days come in a complex mix of good, bad and indifferent. These being not entirely one’s own doing, the environment in which one goes through the years of life’s journey and what the cohorts in the family, in the neighbourhood, in the school, in places of work-life and subsequently dole out has its enormous contribution to the episodes one recollects with nostalgia, not always welcome in one’s mind. Brimming with confidence, thanks to robust health and living in an economic comfort zone, added to a pocket jingling with cash as well as doting parents, youth don’t have to bestow attention to what awaits them in old age until they cross the threshold of old age. Not enjoying during prime time amounts to spending later years regretting.

Conduct and ethos to life during the four distinct stages of life are spelt by the land’s philosophers of a distant past which don’t sound harsh. To be playful with gay abandon free from worries during childhood, to take various attractions in their stride during youth times, to discharge the duties to one’s family during adulthood and pursuit of spirituality in old age, as prescribed by the ancient thinkers merit adopting in one’s life.

Childhood days of those born with a silver spoon in their mouth as it were and life of children stuck in abject poverty make a study in contrast to the extent of hurting, going over episodes of persons moving from rags to riches and vice versa. Longer one survives in society, more one has to take the brunt of losing not only kith and kin but also lifelong friends as well as well-wishers. Losing bitter rivals as one ages is a different matter, yielding temporary feeling of relief. Oldies make it a point to narrate the life’s experiences, particularly the times their elders keeping a hawk’s eye on their daily activities, laying down the rigid rules of life with their do’s and don’ts. They have no hesitation in insisting that nothing went wrong by conforming to those rules in spirit and deed.

At the end of the day, a typical senior citizen would be delighted if his or her juniors were in full control of the elders. A study by a team of researchers in a German University has found that older adults feel younger than their age on days that they are in control, a comfortable way of defying age. Where there is a will, there is a way.