By MOOL RAJ
People who have attained this age may surely face unease, weakness, fragility, and fatigue. But elderly people are the blessings, they act as treasure in one’s family. Their presence in the family adds to the charm, and guides how to move ahead in life. Their experience unarguably paves way for achieving success in life, how to deal with challenges. They are the ideal mentors. With lot of experience over the years they can judge the situation and give constructive advice. They have the power to solve any issue amicably in families.
It is quite evident that elders are wiser and knowledgeable than us. They are our assets. Let me share an important story. “The Mountain That Ate The People”, a Japanese folk story about feudal lord and impact of his decree on his people. In the story we get the clear picture of about how elderly people are invaluable treasure for us. The Japanese lord issued an order that those over the age of sixty-one are useless and should be disposed off in the dangerous mountain near the city. He enforced this decree and those who don’t follow his order would get severe punishment. So many elders/old aged got severe treatment in order to comply.
One day a farmer was devastated when her mother turned sixty-one. His mother convinced him to take her away to the mountain, but while going up towards the mountain, his mother broke twigs and threw them down to mark the trail for her son to follow and find his way back home. This scenario changed his mindset and he returned back his mother secretly and hid her mother in a small room. He went against the decree. Many years passed, the feudal lord was defeated by neighboring overlord and the feudal lord begged for mercy for his people. The overlord proposed a riddle for him to solve it that could be the condition for mercy to his people.The feudal Lord failed to solve the riddle. The feudal lord then proclaimed that whosoever gets the answer will be rewarded with hefty amount. The poor farmer’s mother knew the answer, and saved the people.
Having an old person in your family is having a living golden treasure. Their presence is to be cherished. With their extraordinary experience they can be productive in reshaping the future. Historically people of old ages were always treated with respect by the people living in the community. In the primitive times the magician and the wise men were always the seniors because they had obtained all the wisdom that comes through experience and they were able to provide good advice to next generation.
Islam primarily places the responsibility looking after the elders. With their life experience they have immense knowledge of their past, and can guide us from time to time thus help us in decision-making as well. The time I spend with my elders is sometimes the best moment of my entire day. It is said that whenever you want to do you should take blessings from elders. Elders are known as spiritual fathers. Unfortunately many of our elders may struggle with health issues, loneliness, and also disconnected from others. It is essential that we need to keep them in our thoughts and prayers. Each wrinkle on their face recites the story of a decade. Looking at the surroundings, the cases of Ill treatment against elders really give a shock.
Those families where an elder wakes up early and loudly recites the verses of holy Quran and Gita are the blessings for that family. We pray Almighty that the shadow of elders may remain upon us.
The author is Environmental Science Lecturer hail from the Village Bhagota Distt and Teh Doda Jammu and Kashmir
