Welcome old age or is  it  golden age!! The beauty of childhood and the glory of  youth has given way to quietitude and tranquillity of  old age.Looking backward I see not only a life of  fulfilment and success but  also that of trials and tribulations. The arrival of old age  has unfolded  new hopes and aspirations of a kind never  experienced before.Our life is now  more regulated.We find pleasure in things which we never even noticed  before. We have all the time in the world to  give fruition to  our hobbies and desires  lying beneath our  subconscious mind.
       I spoke to some oldies  to know their views about ageing.Majority of the people feel that they are now relaxed and at peace with themselves. I remember Somerset Maugham's  words,
'Old age has its pleasures,which though different,are not less than the pleasures of youth'.It has been observed that  as we grow older, we become more tolerant;we acquire the ability to control our emotions  much more notably than when we were young.The transition from youth  to old age is much more smooth  than we anticipated.A very unique  feeling of  spiritual  glory overtakes an individual.The vision of the God Almighty which  brings harmony and a sense of surrender  is  visible. This is not to say that  in a youth  there are no such emotions but  with the passing of years this affinity   with the Supreme comes to the fore.
   There is no doubt that physical infirmities slowly  make their way and take charge of the human body.One has to be  fortunate  to  be spared of the onslaught  of these irritants. Fading vision ,  hearing capacity   diminishing, and weakening of  joints  are common ailments of old age.In olden days such problems might have prevented people  from performing their daily  activities but  now  prompt and effective  medication is available at affordable  price and do not in any way become a hurdle in performing   daily chores. Now is the time to observe and enjoy the wonders of nature, little birds twittering ,squirrels running at jet speed and  hordes  of  monkeys descending  from no where and disturbing the  flora and fauna  of the neighbourhood!! In our  younger  times where was the time  to even notice  such  captivating and bewitching sights.A saying by a famous poet' Sans eyes, sans teeth, sans every thing', no longer holds true in  the modern age.
 Most important  factor at this age  is  family bonding which tend to get  strengthened  in old age. In our youth we were so much engrossed  in our profession that  we  could hardly pamper and  cuddle  our children.  We were more concerned about  teaching them good manners and  disciplining them.  Now when  we are  old we are more indulgent towards our grand children. Every move and every action of our grand children  thrills us .The roles are now reversed. In fact  they   decide and dictate and  we don't have the heart to disappoint them!! To maintain  harmony  and peace we allow our children  to have their  own space and  privacy. They are where we were once! They must have the liberty to manage their affairs.
         It  is unfortunate that  in some households harmonious relations  are not maintained. On one side the aged parents  feel neglected  and on the other side the children   treat   their  own parents as  a  burden. Generally  lack of understanding and adjustment lead  to such a situation. In fact both sides  need counselling.
  I  must end with a happy note that old age  is melodious and  not malicious.