Not all, but there are many who consider elderly people as a liability. They consider people in old age as unproductive, inefficient, and annoying. Well! this article is not for such people. So if you are one of them, then please don’t waste your time.
Doing something good in itself is the reason enough for doing so. The other reasons include, but are not restricted to following :
You Can Benefit From their Experiences?
As a strong man you might be in possession of everything. Still, when it comes about experience the old folks have plenty. As a wise man you must benefit from that. The stories of their life are a clear indication about what to do and what not.
Chanakya once said that “Life is too short to make all mistakes by yourself. You must learn from mistakes of others.”
In the support of previous statement I would like to quote a chanakya sutra that says “वृद्धसेवया विज्ञानत्” i.e. “वृद्ध सेवा से सत्य ज्ञान प्राप्त होत है ” i.e. “You can attain true knowledge by serving old people“.
You are Contributing to the Social Trend:
Every individual’s effort count in setting/enforcing trends within a social system. The difference between our society and one that existed decades ago are huge. Unacceptable things of that era are now in mainstream and vice versa. Things changed, but in a slow (I mean very slow) and steady manner.
It must be taken into consideration that the noticeable changes in-between consecutive decades are gigantic, that in-between years are significant, the changes between months are tiny, and noticeable changes within consecutive days are almost invisible.
Yes! the Rome was not built in a day, but each day and every activity had it’s significance. Every individual alive on this planet is an active component to that change.
By not taking care of elder people you yourself are enforcing a new trend with lesser scope for yourself when you will become old. Society requires a stable structure for its survival. At this very moment you are either building that structure or destroying it.
As Per Dharma?
Every great religion tells to respect and take carer of elderly people. Any persons who identifies himself as a religious man must act accordingly. If not, then such person is nothing more than a hypocrite liar. Any true Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or Jain will agree without doubt.
In chapter 15 of Chanakya Neeti it has been stated that:
“A man who has mercy and compassion for all creatures is religious for sure. He does not requires any religious symbol to prove his religiousness.“
No matter you are religions or not, good things will still be called good things.
What’s Your Own Worth?
Animals take birth, they live, and one day they die. The lives of humans are not much different from those of animals. What really differentiates is the way in which the life was lived?
Animals are self-centred and and people who live a self-centred life cannot be considered as true humans. We humans were designed to take care of each other.
Also, It’s about the feeling of self-worth and significance. Your true significance is independent of your strength or money. It depends on the impact you had on lives of other beings.
True mental peace can only be acquired by helping people without expecting anything in return. If you receive something in return, then it’s good otherwise be fine with it. In reality, you serve yourself with satisfaction (of self worth) by serving other/elderly people.
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I know it’s not easy ( actually it’s hard) to take care of elderly people. Remember that I told in the beginning that this is article not for everybody. I have raised a point. Please feel free to accept it or to reject it.
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