A baby comes into this world wailing and shaking it’s fists, helpless. As the decades pass, that same baby grows old, the old man or woman lets go of the fist and is once again helpless, but this time with all the fight in him gone.

And that is the keyword there, helpless. When you’re in those twilight years, even the most basic functions we take for granted such as going to the bathroom is no longer in our control. In Thailand, where I am now and in many other Asian cultures, that’s not a problem. You have your family looking after you. I am referring to a Western perspective. Growing up and in college, I saw too many old men working as cashiers, cooks and greeters when they should be enjoying the fruits of the seed they had sewn in their youth. That hasn’t happened though.

A lot of these guys, they didn’t have a contingency plan, they thought their family or the company they worked for would take care of them. Unfortunately, everyone has their own interests, so you must be responsible for looking out after your own. Especially that old guy you will become, because his wits and vigor have both left him and he is a helpless child. The people around you, they maybe fair weather friends or something could end up happening to them.

Whatever the case, keep an eye on that helpless old man, he is you, and you as a man (or woman) are twice a child.

Kingston S. Lim

February 1, 2020

Bangkok, Thailand