Life’s Tragedy Is That We Get Old Too Soon and Wise Too Late

section-B Life's Tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. "Life is real, Life is earnest, And the grave is not its goal. Dust thou art to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul." These lines from a poem 'A Psalm of life' by HW Longfellow cast an impression on my young mind when I first came across these lines during my adolescence. A superficial reading suggests that the poet is asking us to perform our tasks and duties without thinking of the futility of life. However, a deeper understanding reveals that the poet asks us to not give up and give in, keeping the youthful zeal in us alive and burning to move ahead in life, gaining wisdom through experiences and knowledge on the way.

This brings us to important questions: What does it mean to get old? Is it simply a factor of our age, or something much more? What is wisdom? Do we really gain wisdom very late in life? And how does this become life's tradey? Let us try to explore these questions, and gain some wisdom along the way. How do we get old? In simple terms, getting old is a factor of age, when our body starts to depriciate slowly, resulting in physical weakness and understanding But getting old is not merely a physical phenomenon. It is also a mental state; a state of giving up on our hopes, dreams and ambitions and losing the zeal to strive. for betterment in life. This loss of the will to live to the fullest results in humans getting old in reality, recoiling from their ambitions and thus 'adjusting' to the circumstances than rather than confronting them. The confrontation and struggle through various situations, which keeps the zeal in us alive also results in wisdom. In other words, wisdom is the knowledge and the experiences learnings that a well-lived life teaches us. It can the simple morals from the Jataka tales and Aesop's fables, or something profound which one learns through his/her own experiences. These experiences and learnings increase and refine, as one continues living at meeting new people and gaining life's lessons on the way. But who decides the age for gaining wisdom? It is the own self, the inner consciousness which tells the mind to search for the answers to the perplexities of life. This consciousness or chitta leads the buddhi or mind to gain wisdom or gyaan through actions and experiences, without any perfect age for it. The Indian philosophy talks of both Nachiketa and Dhruv as well as of Ajamil. Ajamil gained 'Brahmagyaan' or the wisdom to righteous living on his deathbed and followed not losing hope, followed the path to gain liberation. Dhruv and Nachiketa were boys of five years of age when they gained 'Brahmagyaan' or the wisdom of 'absolute truth' by facing Lord Vishnu and Yama, who were righteousness personified! Thus, these stories signal that one is never too old to give up on life and its purpose while never too young to gain knowledge and wisdom. In fact, the story of Yama and Nachiketa from Kathopnishad tells us about Shreya and Preya, or fleeting pleasure and long-term sustainable good. The ability to recognise one from the other and follow the path of long-term wellness and greater good is what forms the foundation of being wise. This wisdom may be acquired through the ages, and one may become 'old' in physical terms in the process, but that is not a reason for giving on one's dreams.

The realization of such wisdom makes age just a number to apply one's wisdom for social good. Mahatma Gandhi fought for independence through Ahi- U.P.S.C. msa and Satyagraha, applying his wisdom to help India gain freedom from the Raj. He spread his wisdom through prayer meetings till his last breath, amplifying the wisdom of non-violence for generations to come. The final question that emerges from this discussion is perhaps the most important:- How do we find the zeal to live and continue towards our goal? The Gita answers this through Karmayogi or service through actions. The will to carry out our actions should emerge from a sense of service for the greater good of the society without worrying for the self. As the Gita says "Karmanye Vadika Raste Ma Phaleshu Kadachanah" meaning "Perform the actions with a sense of service without worrying about the result; thus our will to not let our physical age deter us from acquiring and applying wisdom should be our guiding light. As Swami Vivekanand said, "Utkrisht, Jagrat, Prapya Varannibodhat" or Arise, Awake and stop not until the goal is reached', one should never let age, wisdom or the lack of it become the tragedy of not being able to perform that one action which could have brought about a positive change, for such an action is the highest application of wisdom, becoming an act of devotion to the self, to humanity and to the almighty. "Let us then, be up and willing, With a heart for any fate, "Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labour and to wait." - A Psalm of life by HW Longfellow