Various thoughts on this Mother's Day
Dear COAH,
When I was born in 1959, life expectancy in South Korea was 51 years old. In 2024, 65 years later, men will reach 81 years old, and women will reach 87 years old. This change in just one generation is phenomenal! So, people are retiring, traveling, pursuing hobbies, and spending time with their grandchildren. They're enjoying a life that previous generations did not even dream of.
But let's take a closer look at reality. Many people are indeed enjoying life, but many are struggling with health issues and are heavily dependent on medications and hospitals. It's hard to find a senior who doesn't take medication daily. Add to that the growing number of people living with dementia, and it's a real challenge to live a long life.
From an aging parent's perspective, the natural expectation is that their children will care for them. But only some of us are prepared for our parents' long lives. Our parents did not have to deal with the same issue to the extent that we do. Governments are creating nursing homes and medical facilities for old age, but more is needed.
Today is Mother's Day. Perhaps the wish words "have a happy and long life" should be changed to "have a happy and healthy life." It's not necessarily a blessing to live long; it's a blessing to live without serious medical issues. As for us, rather than hoping that we live to be 90 or 100, let us hope and pray that even if we only live to be 80, we will live healthy and not cause difficulties for our children and grandchildren.
On a side note, I see old folks trying to get their 10,000 steps daily. Why not start that exercise now? We should not try to maintain our health only after retirement; we should start now. It makes sense to start walking 10,000 steps while we're young. You may have heard that our church has a big problem with parking on Sundays these days. Why not walk from Lot #2 or #3? It only takes a few minutes, rather than parking in nearby plazas and disturbing their business.
Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song