Hooray, I am 65 years old, a certified senior citizen in Taiwan! This is my senior citizen card! (Kiss the card!) Yes, I made it! I can enjoy free bus rides now, I can take the MRT, bullet train, domestic airplane for half price, I can go to the movies, concerts for half price, and I can visit the Palace Museum, Taipei City Zoo for free!
Gosh, it feels so good to become 65 in Taiwan! Everytime, I get on and off the bus, I hear BeepBeepBeep, three lovely beeping sounds! It is the victory signal when a senior citizen is getting on and off the bus.
Oh, here comes my bus! BeepBeepBeep!
Bus Driver: Excuse me, Ma’am! May I see your ID card?
Me: Yes, just a minute! Here it is!
Bus Driver: Sorry! You look 55!
Me: Thank you for your compliment. You made my day!
The moment I get on MRT, young people stand up and give away their seats to me right away.
Me: Thank you! It is very polite of you to respect the elderly.
Passenger: No thanks, I’m getting off at the next stop. By the way, you don’t look old, and you have a nice body!
Me: Do I? Thank you! You made my day!
65 is a magic number. Age 65 is a milestone for human beings. We can lead a life of leisure without alarm clocks, meetings, conference calls, and commuting in traffic! Everyday is Sunday. We are rich, with a lot of time. We are at loss, not knowing what to do with so much free time. Age 65 is a milestone for us to become our own boss, the boss of our own body, mind, and relationships with others!
Firstly, Body! Hold your hands, feel your body! As we age, our muscle mass deteriorates. Stronger muscle strength means better cognitive performance. The decline in cognitive function and the loss of muscle strength place elderly at increased risk of personal injury, poor mobility, and loss of independence. Who would want a bed-ridden longivity, I don't! Do you? Find an outdoor interest! Do physical activities, go grocery shopping, do housework!
Secondly, Mind. Sound Body and sound mind! Learn new tricks, singing, la la la, dancing cha cha cha! An old dog can't learn new tricks, but a senior citizen can. Play new games, mahjong, chess, on-line games! Learn new languages, Japanese, Korean, Russian. Feel engaged! Feel energized! Be mentally stimulated!
Thirdly, relationships with others. Connect with people. We hurman beings are social animals. No man is an island. Join local volunteer groups to give help to others, to inspire others to help others. Feel good about helping others! In helping others, we help ourselves, whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.
John F. Kennedy once said “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”. Yes, before age 65, we ask what we can do for our country, after age 65, we ask what we can do for ourselves! We can enjoy spa and sauna at the free sports centers, priority seats on free public transportation.
Fellow seniors, we have come a long way, to become certified senior citizens. We are living models of growth and maturity! Let's stay physically and mentally healthy to enjoy ahead of us "What a Wonderful World". Oh, I need to get off at the next bus stop! BeepBeepBeep (victory sign), Contest Master!
