Wrinkles! Grey hair!

Going bald! Double Chin!
Oh no! I am turning 50! I am getting old!

Ladies and gentlemen, growing old. Not many people can accept this, or even realize this. As a medical Doctor, many times, after performing medical examination on my patients, I will look at them in their eyes, and tell them: There’s nothing wrong with you, you are just getting old.

Many times, many patients, would be shock as if getting old is the most terrifying and deadliest disease in the world.

Last month, a patient 2 years younger than me came to see me. He is tall and handsome, fit and athletic, and with a head of full thick hair, but he has been feeling pain in his knees when he runs 40km in marathons. After a thorough examination, I look him in his eyes and told him: There’s nothing wrong with you, your knees and you are just getting old. The patient became pale and broke down as if I had just announced his death sentence.

“Doctor, This is impossible! I don’t want to grow old! Old people are fat and bald! I want to remain fit and handsome! I want to run 40km! Help me Doctor, Please!

Are you serious? Are you serious? You’re asking a fat bald man, who is becoming old himself and cannot even runs to help you with all that? There are many treatments for many kinds of illness, but getting old is certainly not something you can cure!

Everyone gets old, so do I.

Another day, a patient whom I have not met for several years came to see me. After a regular examination and treatment, the patient asked me, “ What happened to the other doctor who used to work here? Dr. Fong, where is Dr Fong now?

Confused, I replied, There is only one Dr Fong here, and that is me!

The patient looked at me closely and shook his head. The Dr Fong I know is slimmer, more handsome, has a lot more hair on his head and is very much younger! YOU MUST BE HIS DAD!

Ladies and gentlemen, do you know what is more cruel than being told that you are fat, bald, old and ugly? That is, being told all of that at the same time and in only one sentence!

If a glass filled half with water, is considered half empty or half full. Then is turning 50 a sign that I am half alive or half dead? In medical school, I am filled with knowledge on how to deal with illnesses related to old age, and how old age affects our bodies, but when I look in the mirror one day, and realize that I am getting old myself, I am never fully prepared for this.

Running 10K is not simple anymore,
My back hurts when carrying groceries up 5 flights of stairs,

No matter how hard I tried, there is a bald spot on my head that I can never hide, and it’s getting bigger.

I began to take medications. The same medications that I gave my patients, the same patients whom I look at them in their eyes and told them: There’s nothing wrong with you, you are just getting old

But…one person, one patient seems to handle getting old very well.

She is an old lady. She is neat, tidy, polite and very elegant.
When I told her that her knees are failing, she nods and smiles.
When I told her that her spines are falling apart, she nods and smiles.
When I told her that she is getting older and older and older, she just laughs.

I wondered how can she handle getting old so gracefully, and she replied:
Dr. Fong, Life is a bus. Whenever you get on the bus, you definitely must get off someday. Getting old is just a reminder that your destination is near and it’s about time for you to get off.
If you know that you’re about to get off, would you spend your time feeling sad and pitiful, or would you seize the moment to enjoy the scenery?
If you know that you’re about to get off , would you cling to your seat tightly, or would you relax and enjoy the company of love ones around you?

Growing old is just a natural phenomenon, nothing special, nothing good or nothing bad.

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, getting old is just a reminder, a reminder to cherish life while it last.

In fact, AGE, A.G.E. means, Accept it! Be Grateful that we’re still alive and Enjoy every single moment we have!

I am turning 50, so what? Everyone gets old, so do I
Wrinkles! Grey hair! Hmm…Wisdom!
Going bald! Double Chin! Ah…Prosperity!

Contest Master.