Quality of life

Viswamitra · Nov 28, 2013

As I am about to enter the exclusive club of 60 plus, I spend considerable amount of time contemplating what would make me lead a quality life for whatever period left in my life after retirement. What will I do if I stop working everyday which I enjoy so much? Can my retirement savings, happy family and thoughts about my accomplishments give a quality life going forward? I know quality of life is directly proportional to my state of mind. If I am determined to be calm and peaceful irrespective of what happens around me, I can lead a quality life as long as I live.

I have a leading role model in IL who lost his wife a few years back but is very determined to lead a quality life interacting with the seniors in his apartment complex. He wrote some wonderful threads here about his interaction with other seniors. Then, he decided to move to a retirement home and lead a simple life with other seniors. He understands that his daughters and their respective husbands have responsibilities of their own but love him so much. While he is ready to spend time with his daughters and grandchildren whenever there is an opportunity, he is contented to lead a life of his own happily with other seniors in an old age home.

There is another couple who having raised some wonderful children, raise plants in their roof and enjoy the company of each other so much. They look after each other and lead a very contented and simple life. Even when they face hostility like power cut on a festival day, they express it gently without sweating on it much. They celebrate the arrival of their great grandchild by announcing it happily to fellow ILites. They look after each other very well and lead a very happy life.

Another respected member who is fondly called as mom by many members in this forum also lead a simple life with her husband in a small apartment. Her desires are very small in nature and truly she enjoys sharing everything about her life with fellow ILites. She is interested in extending the life of every inanimate object in her home as she is attached to anything that is historic. She enjoys interacting with other members of IL and write threads in IL. Her husband is a role model for anyone who wants to provide selfless service to the humanity. He is definitely a role model for many people like me.

Lastly, I have my mentor who is an outstanding writer and a noble soul. He is a repository of knowledge at the same time has a mind of a child. He showers his love to every member of IL making everyone in this forum important. He and his wife are ideal couple for many of us to learn from. He is a well-read intellect making a significant contribution in IL and to the spiritual community. His ramblings are shining examples for many budding writers.

Every one of them I have mentioned above is leading a very peaceful life. I have come to the conclusion that their happiness is derived from their state of mind. They are determined to be happy and decided not to sweat on small stuff. They let go anything that affects their mind negatively and lead their life driven by their respective hearts. Everyone’s life has ups and downs but how they handle it gracefully makes their life worth noting. They understand that mind works like a spring and more we keep winding it with information and analytical results, it becomes repository of big data and a dash board that has opinion on everything. It creates surface tension and looks to unwind constantly. Therefore, they decided to keep their mind calm and contented. They simply focus on perfecting their mind and improve their quality of life constantly. They reduce their expectations and focus on improving their effort to help others. I don’t have to look beyond IL to learn what I need to do when I retire.

iyerviji · Nov 28, 2013

My dear brother Viswa

A very thought provoking post and what you have written about LN Sir, Pushpa Mami and Cheeniya Sir is 100% correct. They all are Role Models for us in IL. There is so much to learn from them and we are lucky to be a part of this site where we have such loving members. I always think this site as not as a site but as a family and when I log in here I forget all my worries and become a part of this family and feel happy to share everything just as we share in our family.

As far as you are concerned I know you will lead a peaceful life after retirement taking care of your family and also I know you will be leading spiritual life and you have all the qualities of the persons whom you have mentioned here.

I am surprised to know about me also through your post and I dont know whether I am worthy o f mentioning and what you have written about my dh is 100% correct. I am blessed to be his wife.

[h=1]You have the power; awesomeness and courage to defeat conquer and crash through any barriers, obstacles and challenges that stand in your way. So be all you can be, and make the rest of your life the best of your life...[/h]

Ricardo Housham quotes | added by: Ricardo.Housham

rgsrinivasan · Nov 28, 2013

Dear Viswa,

Thats a very nice post where you have given tributes to those stalwarts of IL.
And you are one too. There are lot of us here, who look forward to what you post here.

And you are right about happiness being associated with the state of your mind.
One may have to let go, accept things as they are and be ready to apologize if required, in order to have that balance I feel. Accepting ourselves is the first big step. Thanks for sharing this with us. -rgs

adinil · Nov 28, 2013

very nice post and the things written about vijimaa is truely great...
she is great person by-heart and mos tbeautiful human being

Mindian · Nov 28, 2013

a good one Viswa Sir. very true, we have some lovely people here whom we could emulate and lead meaningful lives.

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Nov 28, 2013

Dear Viswa,
As viji has said you also have all the qualities to spend your retired life in a happy, peaceful and purposeful manner.
We have learned lessons from our elders experience who had crossed many a tougher situations than us.
I am very much humbled to read the heaps of praise you have showered upon us. It is all God's blessings that what we are today and we are always looking up for His guidance.
PS

iyerviji · Nov 28, 2013

Pushpa Mami you said it 100% right It is all God's blessings that what we are today and we are always looking up for His guidance. As long as we have faith in Him and follow the elder's guidelines I think we can lead a happy life

Kamalji · Nov 28, 2013

Dear Vishwa,

i have ust entered the 60 club in september this year. i was loojing fiorward to it since long, for the income tax benefits, the extra half percentage interest from banks and concessional rail fare.HAHA. See how selfish i am, my friend.

i just loved yr post, what u say is so wonderful. Yes laxminarayan i know pretty well, his wife mithila expired recently, and i was fortunate tomeet both of them and had a great lunch with th em. lovely people both.

The best part of retirment is not having to work for money, u are free to persue ur hobbies and doing what u like, but that is possible if u have enough to pull u thru old age.

So enjoy, welcome to my club, and have a ball my friend, welcome.

Regards

kamal

Viswamitra · Nov 28, 2013

My dear Vijiakka,

It is very satisfying to receive the first FB from you. I can't agree to exclude you from elite club of seniors who are role models. Your love for ILites is contagious and spreads faster than the speed of light. I learn as much from you as I learn from LN sir, Mrs. Srinivasan and Cheeniya Sir.

I take your kind words about me as your blessings for a happy and peaceful life after retirement. Your husband is very special and even if I achieve 20% of what he does, I will be happy.

Viswa

Viswamitra · Nov 28, 2013

Dear RGS,

Thank you for your response. It is so kind of you to include me as one of the stalwarts but I am still in the learning mode, whereas all the accomplished people I had mentioned in my post are living examples to know how to conduct life after retirement.

Equanimity in accepting what is in store for us is a major step that makes a paradigm shift in our lives. As you rightly said, we have to learn to accept us as we are as well as accept others around us as they are.

Viswa