SHOWBIZZSharp when necessary, mild when possible… With the same passion with which he makes his case, top lawyer Walter Damen (52) comments in ‘Dag Allemaal’ what concerns him and you.
‘Aging with dignity’ has a double meaning for people of my generation. On the one hand, it refers to a political party founded by older people because they felt socially excluded. Unfortunately, that party died because the old people argued too much – politics and arguments, it counts for every generation. In addition, we can also take ‘aging with dignity’ literally.
Raid? No, accident!
And I want to talk about that for a moment. Last Sunday my father turned 89. For the occasion he dressed nicely and booked a restaurant to enjoy his four children and children-in-law. The atmosphere was good during the ride. One of the frequent discussions is whether he needs a hearing aid. Seniors themselves usually strongly resist this, as if it were an outward symbol of decline. And I’m not even talking about a walking stick or even worse, guidance – that will certainly be met with a very clear ‘no’.
Anyway, I was driving with my father and twin sister when Waze suddenly blared through the speakers: “There’s been a minor accident on the road.” My father was so shocked that he almost jumped out of the car: ‘Robbery? Where is there a robbery?’ But a hearing aid is an unnecessary expense, you know.
The evening passed pleasantly, except when at a certain point another sentence was uttered that apparently always belongs to the old generation: ‘I won’t make it to June anyway.’ In the meantime we are already laughing about it, but it is actually something to think about. Growing older is not always fun. The physical defects pile up, loneliness lurks around the corner and you become dependent on others. But still, it can also be very beautiful if you see the fun in it and above all enjoy every moment.
To accept
Enjoyment can also be achieved by dropping many worries and simply accepting. Take the wheelchair I asked for him to go through customs: it seemed easy to me. Priority everywhere, no stress from queues and you will be taken to your seat. Or live smaller: no enormous costs for a house, everything within reach and, above all, a new environment. And yes, you don’t transplant an old tree, but sometimes new soil also provides young roots. Why a car when a taxi is easy and costs less on an annual basis? And above all: you no longer have to prove anything. So you can do anything you feel like.
But that’s where the shoe pinches. Because often people no longer feel like doing anything because they are stuck. Fortunately, there is still such a thing as humor. You can convince many people by laughing, because humor transforms the sensitive chord into a relaxed operetta. So the birthday was fun. Everyone was laughing and having fun. And suddenly death was far away and we were busy planning his 100th birthday. Where, we’ll see about that, but it will be fun. This is the only way to live happily ever after. Now that little pig with a long snout.
READ ALSO:
COLUMN. Walter Damen about housewives and ‘pipigate’: “Some men are at the level of the Neanderthal”
COLUMN. Walter Damen about the violence of war: “Could all those child corpses haunt the minds of Putin, Hamas and the leaders of Israel?”
COLUMN. Walter Damen: “Corona has given a serious mental blow to a group of young people who should not be underestimated”
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.
Yes, I want free unlimited access
2023-11-17 13:00:59
#COLUMN #Walter #Damen #aging #dignity #Physical #disabilities #piling #loneliness #lurks #corner
