Human beings are both, wise and foolish, at ANY age. We are either filled with optimism or soured by setbacks. We could be alive and kicking in our old age or silenced and numbed within the four walls of our home. Some people in their fifties, sixties and seventies live with the fearful feeling of abandonment and loneliness. They feel with certainty that when they fall sick, no one will show interest or concern for them. But look closely. Chances are, these adults also felt the same way as children.

Many people feel old at 30, while others feel young at 80 by retaining their zest for living. By falling in love with life, such zestful people have decided to capture and treasure small moments of happiness despite the setbacks, health-problems, tragedies and turbulence that life invariably brings with it.

It takes all sorts of people to make this world. What if you are without love? Unable to feel love? Refusing to accept love? Leading a sad and lonely life inside the four walls of your house, refusing to talk to anyone and isolating yourself? What if you have lost your inner resilience and your sense of humour and zest for life? Then a large part of you is already dead and only YOU can bring it to life again to rekindle your bright flame, by falling in love once more with life. Fall in love with the hope, innocence, magic and purity of your childlike self. Of what you once were… carefree and happy!!

Most of our fears, as we age, are really childhood memories or traumas that we haven’t addressed. These keep us rigid. Fear is derived from the past and projected into the future by our thoughts. What are your concerns about aging, retirement, inactivity, isolation, economics, illness, disability and death? What makes us miserable is accumulation and fixation of past emotions that have no relevance to our present life. So what if you had an unhappy childhood? So what if you had an unhappy marriage? So what if your children don’t care for you? Stop wasting your time and energy thinking about the unhappy areas of your life and focus on the positives.

Change your self-pity into self-confidence. It’s never too late to make a new start again. You CAN start today, NOW, at this moment to create a brand-new happy ending. How? By changing your thoughts and your language. Instead of ‘poor me’, say ‘lucky me’!

Change your outlook on life. Subtract the stressful and unhappy areas of your daily life and add happy moments. Though we change a great deal, as we grow older, deep within us, we carry certain clearly recognizable styles, traits, mannerisms and attitudes belonging to the child within us. Nurture that child because that child (your younger self) lives within you, in your heart and loves you!

Which is the most outstanding trait in a child? It’s love! A child is born with the need to be loved and the need to love others. These needs remain with us throughout our lives. Love is a trait beyond all others that make us human, makes us whole, makes us young, makes us happy, makes us fall in love with life – whether you are 18 or 80!

Love is the power behind our optimism and resilience, the fuel of our wonder and curiosity and the essence of our joy, the core of our humour, the energy behind our music, the motivation for our work and play and the ultimate lesson to learn in life. Love is the most perfect thing for our mental and physical health, the highest form of intelligence. Did you know that a network of loving family, friends and neighbours actually boost our immune system due to the happy interactions?

However, not everyone can give and receive love easily. There are family members, friends and neighbours who may dislike you for reasons best known to them. They may even stop all communication and as we know, where there’s no communication, there’s no relationship. What does one do then? Well, it’s good riddance to a bad relationship. Perhaps, that person or persons no longer serve the higher purpose of your soul, so bless them, let them go and leave them alone.