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SOUND OFF

`Who said old age is boring?'

Old age is not about cribbing and sulking, says K. P. Mahalingam

After 42 years of professional life, I decided it was time to quit. I get bugged when people ask me how I spend my time. Old age and retired life are not always dull and boring. On some days I think 24 hours are not enough. On weekends, my wife and I are rarely at home. We involve ourselves in social activities, are part of senior citizens' organisations, go to watch movies, plays, attend music concerts and sometimes catch up with serials. There's enough to keep ourselves physically and mentally fit. You are only as old as you feel. You have to develop a taste for an art, sport or a social cause. It depends on individual preferences. In this city, senior citizens can keep boredom at bay. There are so many activities they can engage themselves in. There are at least half a dozen organisations of senior citizens. We are part of some of these and have made good friends. It's a pleasure to spend time with these friends. I strongly feel that to enjoy your grey years, you must prepare for post-retirement life. Financial stability is a must. You also need to come to terms with retirement. Perhaps you held positions of power and had people to do odd jobs such as pay the electricity bill or go to the bank. But after retirement you may have to stand in queue and slog it out like the rest. But retirement also means spending more time with your partner and more time to do things that you always wanted to. You have to learn to value yourself sans the official position. I was the Director (Technical Services) at Tata Steel and I also worked with the United Nations, but I refused all the job offers that came my way post-retirement. Today I find more time to write. My Tamil, which took a beating with most time spent away from Madras, has improved. My wife tells me it is because of the serials I watch.

My friend once wrote to me, "Remember old folks! With silver in your hair, gold in your teeth, stones in your kidney, lead in your feet and gas in your stomach, you are worth a fortune."

SOUND OFF! is a weekly space for you to rant, applaud or talk about anything on your mind. Write to metro@thehindu.co.in telling us a little about yourself (with address and phone number), and you may get a chance to sound off!

AS TOLD TO ASHA MENON

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