Ang Kalatas Volume V September 2015 Issue | Page 10

THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 5 Number 12 | SEPTEMBER 2015

10
HUMMING IN MY UNIVERSE

The art of living creatively

N

o, this is not a column for
some society magazine.
This is not about fashion or
lifestyle in the sense that
glossy magazines handle

them.
This article is about living everyday
life with enough grace, meaning and
effort to make being alive worthwhile.
I would like to state clearly, though,
that I am writing this as a 60-plus-yearold man who has lived long enough to
hopefully give this article enough substance to be worthy of your time and
attention.
People age in many ways. But I notice that while we all age (barring illness
or accidents that will make our lives
short), we go through our years basically either happy or cranky.
At this age, some will feel that life
has passed them by, or that they have
missed out on many opportunities and
are therefore resigned to an existence
of waiting to just get older and eventually die. Some harbor regrets. They
say no to most challenges that will take
them out of their comfort zones. They
are not up to taking new classes, adventures or learning new skills. The
spark has long left them and they have
narrowed the space where they wish to
spend their remaining energies.
But there are others who never
seem to want to retire or fade away.
They want to continue learning, growing and trying new stuff that will bring
out something they have not discovered about themselves or life itself. I
must confess that while I belong to this
set, it takes effort to fight the inertia

ADOBO

and continue to live creatively.
Here are my rules for aging gracefully and living creatively.
Keep as fit as you can.
Former DOH Secretary Alran Bengzon once told me that generally, your
body at 40 years old will be the best it
can be. Be that as it may, it is not too
late. Whatever shape you are in now, it
is always good for the body to keep active. Move, walk, run, jump, plank. Go

ing the bad stuff alive. Invest in things
that pay, not in those that keep you
hooked but offer no payback. Move on.
Learn to sincerely and unconditionally
forgive others and yourself.
Pay it forward.
In your field of expertise and endeavor, look for opportunities to mentor. The wisdom of how you’ve lived
is valuable to younger people. I teach
part-time and I learn as much from my

Everything is perishable except love. I personally

believe that when all is said and done it will be the
only real enduring thing in the world.

to the gym if you can. Do exercises consistently.
Discover and constantly visit your
sacred spaces.
These are the places that make you
feel centered and aware of the wonder
of your entire being. They are places
that make you feel alive, where you are
present to yourself and everything else.
You need to know where to go to feel
reborn and rejuvenated.
Continue to read, study and learn.
Learn a language or a new skill. Do
not have a closed mind. Engage in discussion and continue developing your
mind with new ideas and new stuff.
This is a daily thing.
Begin to look back at how you’ve
lived life so far.
Celebrate the good things that
have happened. Let go of the bad stuff.
You do not need to waste energy keep-

students as they learn from me.
Live and act appropriately according to your means.
Actually, as I got older, I learned to
live with less for myself and with more
generosity toward others. I am quickly learning to let go of fluff and non-essential things.
Always remind yourself that you
can’t take material things with you
when you die.
Everything is perishable except

love. I personally believe that when all
is said and done it will be the only real
enduring thing in the world.
More and more, begin to see yourself in the third person.
You have been thrown into the
life circumstances you are in and have
made something out of it. This gives
you perspective on the themes that
have comprised your life so far.
There is also more to how you look
at yourself. Discover it. If you can look at
yourself objectively, you may stumble
upon who is actually doing the looking.
This simple discovery can change everything.
Appreciate art in all its authentic expressions.
It cleanses your soul and clears your
perception of life.
Take up a hobby or a cause where
you can throw your time and passion
with great abandon.
The mere commitment to anything that gives you delight and joy is
an act of longevity. And if you wish to
live long, you might as well live it with
meaning and purpose.
When choices are given F