A discussion of the latter part of life

Are you old?

Some say that I am.

But are you really old?

The calendar says I have lived a long time, but I don’t feel old.

Don’t feel old – what does that mean?
My inner feelings have not changed – only expanded.

Expanded?

As a child, I thought as a child. As a youth, I thought as a young person. It continues, always growing, always expanding.

Is this good?

Each period of life feels as if it is the best, and it is, up to that point. The only exceptions are the extremes found in what I call the teenage years. This exception does not apply to all young people and is not limited to only teenagers. However, it is most evident between age 12 or 14 through the early 20’s.

Why those years?

A child grows up. He gets to be a big child, as big as his parents. He wants all the good things his parents have earned, the freedoms, money, and such, but without the responsibilities. He wants to be treated as an adult, but still be cared for as a child. It is a nasty mix of emotions.

But why can’t they be treated as adults?

Because they are not adults except in size.

When are they adults?

Only when they really are adults. You know…responsibility, self-support such as a job, readiness to meet the world on its terms.

On its terms?

It is called reality, not idealism. Idealism is a wonderful goal and should keep its place in reality so that it can change society into something better than it is. This is the basis of religion, most societies and organizations, most places of education. There needs to be a balance between reality and idealism. If one overpowers the other, then chaos ensues.

Has this ever happened?

Many times – read history.

Is this what growing old means?
Understanding reality?

Partially. With age comes experience which can be a great teacher of wisdom. A thinking person will gain experience and become wise. Most people don’t think beyond themselves and so remain as followers – like a bunch of sheep to be led around by some smooth-talking shyster, politician, or some other impressive person. They are not wise or even very smart.

Are shysters crooks?

Usually in one form or other.

How do you know all of this?

As mentioned before, I have lived a lot of years and have experienced an awesome amount of events. I have been swindled, lied to, and trapped many times by shysters, politicians, lawyers, and other undesirable types.

Will this happen to you again?
Possibly, but I hope not.

How can you protect yourself from these people?

By having been burned by them enough times so as to be aware of what they are doing to me. And by being skeptical of unrealistic claims and promises.

A skeptic?

Society has produced a lot of skeptics

What evidence is there of this skepticism?

Look at TV. The ads promise everything. Experience soon proves they are liars. Look at the news media. It loves the crisis of the day, and loves to destroy select individuals. It is true that many of these selected persons are shysters and crooks, but many are innocent. Just watch TV with all of this in mind and you, too, will be skeptical.

It sounds as if you have had a rough life.

Not really – I consider it to have been quite normal. Perhaps I have reacted to it differently than others. The early years were full of activity and energy. My later years have slowed down and become comfortable. Right now, I would not exchange my comfort and experience for the uncertainty and energy of youth.

Comfort?

Of course. If one has handled his life well, the later years will provide comfort and security for the vacation that is called retirement. Retirement is usually a state of financial security. And financial security can partially come from the Social Security program as found in the U.S. The income from this government program is minimal, but will provide the minimal necessities of life. Additional investment programs can produce great amounts of retirement income, but only if started in early life. Early investments build upon themselves. For example, if your investment double every 7 years, the value will grow to 32 times the original investment in 35 years. (The 7-year figure is close to the norm.) In 42 years it will be about 64 times what was deposited. A young person can well utilize these numbers and retire rich. If you mis-use credit, then these numbers work against you and so retirement becomes poverty.
For example, 10,000 dollars, euros, pesos, or whatever, will be worth 640,000 dollars, euros, pesos, or whatever, in 42 years. People readily spend much more than 10,000 whatevers to buy a car that becomes nearly worthless in just 10 years, plus the monstrous expense of upkeep of that vehicle. So if your car costs 30,000 --- do your own math.
This must be done by age 25, or maybe 30, or the greatest rate of growth won’t be there.

Did you do all of this?

No, I thought the wonders of buying things was more important and so put off investment until later in life. I did well with the few years I had, but I could just as easily have become a multi-millionaire had I started earlier in life. I can only blame myself.

Are there regrets?

A few. Other than my stupidity regarding finances, I would like a better understanding of God and the ways of GOD.

GOD?

Yes, indeed. Having visited many religions of all kinds, I have found that most do not know GOD, but all have a rudimentary, if fragmented, knowledge of things of the Spirit – which includes GOD.

Fragmented?

Have you ever played the game called telephone or gossip?

No.

Well, it goes like this: Line up several people – the more the merrier. Whisper a secret to the one on the end of the line. That person then whispers that secret to the next in line, who passes it on to the 3rd in line. This continues to the last person, who tells everybody what the secret was. It won’t be anything like what it was when it started.

And this has to do with religion?

Only as an illustration. Over the long years many great and inspired teachers have come. Their teachings were from their inner contact with GOD, which they each explained as best they could, given the limitations of language. The next generation told its own interpretation to the 3rd generation, and so on.
After 100 years, there will be great changes in the original message. This change can often be seen within only one lifetime. See the JW’s.
After 1000 years – look at some of the older religions. Hardly recognizable except for the name. Islam is an example.
After 2000 years – Christianity with its hundreds of splinter groups is a good example.
After 2500 years – Buddhism. However, Buddhism has a little different beginning in that Buddha taught what he understood at that time. As his wisdom and knowledge expanded, his teachings changed accordingly. This resulted in many versions of Buddhism from the beginning.
And then there are the ancient religions such as the Hindu, which goes far back into prehistory.

And just what is your religion?

I am not really interested in just one, having experienced much good in a great many, but I am fascinated by the traditional AmerInd religion. Somewhere in all of its symbolism is a great story which I want to know.

Symbols don’t mean anything, do they?

Look at your own faith. It is full of symbols which you understand – at least in part. Other religions have their symbols and stories, each of which convey a portion of what I choose to call The Ultimate Truth

What’s that?

The vision I see of Ultimate Truth lies far beyond human understanding. The illustration used is in the form of several questions - - -
How big is God?
How big is the Universe? Since God fills the Universe, then that may be a size the human mind may grasp somewhat.
How big is your head? 8 inches, or 20 cm, approximately.
Is it possible to stuff something the size of the Universe into a ball of bone that size?
How can it be possible to stuff God into that miniscule ball of bone?
We can understand about 8 inches/20 cm of GOD, but not the totality of GOD.
One can envision the Ultimate Truth to equate to GOD, which makes it inherently beyond the scope of our minds.

So GOD is the Ultimate Truth?

Do you know of a better explanation?

No, but is there a better explanation?

I can’t think of one, unless God exists beyond the Universe, and that is too far beyond human understanding to get even a little real understanding.

You make it sound simple.

It may well be – probably is – but humans try to make thing complex and therefore mysterious.

Really?

I think so. The more you learn, the more you will find that you don’t know. So, instead of the teen-ager who knows everything, I have become older and far more ignorant of all that is.
Some people become wise with age. Some people simply grow old.
And this is the story of my life, and I am still learning.