Therearetwodangerstobeguardedagainstinoldage.Oneoftheseisundueabsorptioninthepast.Itdoesnotdotoliveinmemories,inregretsforthegoodolddays,orinsadnessaboutfriendswhoaredead.One’sthoughtsmustbedirectedtothefutureandtothingsaboutwhichthereissomethingtobedone. Itisunwisetobetooattachedtotheyouthinthehopeofsuckingvigorfromitsvitality.Whenyourchildrenaregrownuptheywanttolivetheirownlives,andifyoucontinuetobeasinterestedinthemasyouwerewhentheywereyoung,youarelikelytobecomeaburdentothem,unlesstheyarecoldtoyou. Ithinkthatasuccessfuloldageiseasiestforthosewhohavestrongimpersonalinterestsinvolvingappropriateactivities.Itisinthisspherethatlongexperienceisreallyfruitful,anditisinthisspherethatthewisdombornofexperiencecanbeexercisedwithoutbeingoppressive.Itisnousetellinggrown-upchildrennottomakemistakes,bothbecausetheywillnotbelieveyou,andbecausemistakesareanessentialpartofeducation.Butifyouareoneofthosewhoareincapableofimpersonalinterests,youmayfindthatyourlifewillbeemptyunlessyouconcernyourselfwithyouchildrenandgrandchildren.Inthatcaseyoumustrealizethatwhileyoucanstillrenderthemmaterialservices,suchasmakingthemanallowanceorknittingthemjumpers,youmustnotexpectthattheywillenjoyyourcompany. Someoldpeopleareafraidofdeath.Butinfactthebestwayistomakeyourinterestsgraduallywiderandoreimpersonal.Anindividualhumanexistenceshouldbelikeariver-smallatfist,rushingpassionatelypastrocksandoverwaterfalls.Graduallytherivergrowswiderandthebanksmovebackandintheendtheybecomemixedintheseawithoutanyvisiblebreak. Theoldmanwhocanseelifeinthiswaywillnotsufferfromthefearofgrowingoldanddeath. 小题1:Theauthorsuggeststhatoldpeopleshould_______. |