What do we gain as we age?

Sergei Fedorovich, was born in 1920, in the Kursk region. He went through the war from the first day to the last, worked as an engineer. There are no children, but in the family of his second wife he is considered a father and grandfather. Lives in his own apartment, takes care of himself.

“I am proud of my past and look to the future without sadness. Of course, the forces are not the same as before, but I do a lot to ensure that they are: I do 16 pull-ups and 8 push-ups daily, I go up to the fifth floor on foot.

With age, you understand more clearly: you do everything important in life yourself. One and the same alignment of life can turn both grief and joy. Two of my beloved women have died, I have no children – such an old age could be lonely, bitter and angry. But my grandfather also taught: never get angry, it doesn’t help.

I have a lovely and wonderful family, now I even have a great-granddaughter. I know: you can’t live only in the past, and you don’t have to burn with pain when nothing can be corrected. Caring for loved ones gives me a feeling of fullness of life, and the most joyful thing for me now is communication with them.

All our life we ​​are looking for meaning in it, and we learn only in old age. For me, it is to remain human, to be interested in something other than oneself, to be patient, understanding and grateful. Time now goes in a completely different way: before, the years were only added, and now every day lived is a real gift. Old age has so many joys! They are, of course, different than in their youth. But that only makes them more expensive. I am happy that I can, as before, live and love in a new way.

“OLD AGE IS EASIER TO LEARN TO FORGIVE”

Valentin Ivanovich, born in 1926 near Leningrad, grew up in a boarding school, at the age of 17 he went to the front as a volunteer, went through the war. For more than 20 years he worked as a trolleybus driver. No children, lives in a nursing home.

“With age, a person does not change as much as it seems. Yes, I began to hear and see worse and now I am more dependent on other people. But in my heart I am independent, free. It’s amazing how quickly time has passed! It seems that he just started working … and now he is more than 80.

In old age, there is an opportunity to rise above your life, to see it in its entirety. You can evaluate everything that was, that is. I want to spend a lot of time with myself, rethink my life. Therefore, I already react differently to many things from external life – no longer so emotionally and passionately, I keep my distance more.

But interest in what is happening has not changed. I like to observe, communicate with young people and see how people change. When I am with them, I understand why I fought and crawled through the whole war on my belly, in intelligence.

Of course, in the past there was a lot of hard, bitter, but I try to remember only the good, to appreciate what I have, even if it is small. It’s easier to live that way. Unlike some old people, I don’t feel like grumbling at spoiled youth, ungrateful relatives… I want to thank them and rejoice at their successes. As we age, it becomes easier to learn to forgive. It is so pleasant and good for the soul.”

“ONE CAN LOOK AT PROBLEMS FROM A BIRD’S EYE”

Olga Mikhailovna, born in 1915 in Minsk, during the war years was among the prisoners of a concentration camp, after which she was recognized as an “enemy of the people.” Worked as an accountant. No children, lives in a nursing home.

“It’s a pity you can’t take a picture of me as I was in my youth. I love everything beautiful. But why complain? From everything you need to be able to enjoy. We are not eternal, so I learned to enjoy every day. Of course, now I have less freedom, a lot of things hurt, but there are also pleasant things.

I didn’t have time for books before, but now I read a lot – mostly history – and I’m very happy about it. I listen to a lot of classical music on the radio. But I regret that I could not sing professionally: I dreamed of since childhood, I entered the conservatory, but my first husband did not let me finish my studies. To myself, I still sing my favorite arias.

I think I’ve gotten better with age. Be patient, right? It’s like I’m looking at all the problems from a bird’s eye view. What’s the point of arguing, being offended? It is better to listen more, analyze and draw your own conclusions. I learned to be more tactful, to listen to people, and earlier I could take it and blurt out something unpleasant.

I do not want and am not going to limit my life to everyday life – I want to develop spiritually and grow. Some will say, “What’s the point? You’re going to die soon anyway.” But these are the ones who die. And I want to live on. It is curious how Moscow will grow and what kind of skyscrapers will be built. And I wonder if the fashion will change: I don’t like the way they wear long hair now. ”

“I LEARN A LOT. AND ABOUT YOURSELF INCLUDING “

Ksenia Filippovna, was born in 1927 and lived most of her life in Ukraine, worked on a collective farm. She spent the war in the occupation, after which she took care of the household and children. Lives with his daughter’s family.

“At the age of 70, I unexpectedly began to write poetry. I wanted to send an answer to a letter from my front-line friend, but it turned out in verse. It would seem, where does a person like me get this skill? After all, I finished only five classes, survived the famine, war and occupation, worked a lot – on the collective farm, on the ground, I was widowed early, raised two children. And suddenly these lines just ran from my pen: I wrote them down as best I could – on napkins, newspapers. Since then, a whole notebook has accumulated.

Poems are the main gift to me in my old age. I am very grateful to this gift: earlier I did not have enough time or energy to study, but now, thanks to poetry, I learn a lot of new things. And about myself as well. Also, this way I can be useful. Recently, I was in the hospital, my roommate was not feeling well and asked me to read my poems – she said that they calm her down. I then dedicated a separate verse to her.

I’m glad it supports people. Over the years, in general, the need to share increases – their knowledge, their work, albeit modest. Now I understand better how important it is to appreciate every moment of life, to rush to do what you can. I used to think that in retirement I would rest, get enough sleep, but no, I don’t want to rest at all – I want to work. It is a pity, of course, that the forces are not the same, but I do not sit still, my day starts early. Not being lazy is what is important for a happy old age.”

“I CONVINCED THAT WISDOM IS BORN FROM FEARLESS”

Elena Sergeevna, born in 1913 in the Moscow region, devoted her life mainly to the family, raising children, and worked. Lives in his own apartment, takes care of himself.

“They say old people are wise. Yes, of course, at 90 we become wiser than at 50, but I think that part of this wisdom is born from fearlessness. I can’t say that in old age some special knowledge is revealed to a person, but there definitely appears more understanding of oneself and more self-confidence.

I used to be very shy, I was afraid of many things in my life. Now comes the courage. I think that life has hardened me. She was very heavy. Probably, like many people: we make plans, dream about something, try for something, and then everything turns out completely differently. Of course, from this you begin to treat everything more philosophically. I am a believer and I know that the result is often not in our hands – both in small things and in global things. But to lose heart is a great sin.

In general, I’m not tired of life, I’m interested in a new time. The only pity is that modern life is a continuous race, because of this, people began to think much less often, to look inside themselves.

Over the years, we have the opportunity to somehow comprehend life in a different way. In youth, you live and live, you don’t listen to yourself, but now it’s completely different. I think now I know and understand myself better than ever before. I realized that you never have to worry, strength goes away from this. And calm down – and suddenly there are forces. And I know for sure that there is help from above, even in the simplest things.