Limelight: The best lies ahead By Lubna Abdel-Aziz What is the prime of life? One's prime is elusive, varying from one to another. At any stage in our lives, we are better than some and worse than others. Since the Egyptian people's revolution, January 25, 2011, we discern a senseless bias against age and aging. In a land where the old were once esteemed and revered, the condemnation of an older presidential candidate is astonishing. Suddenly, an invisible barrier has been erected around the aged, cutting off their wisdom, experience, knowledge and ability. Are the aged to be cast aside, never to be allowed to actively participate in the structural process of society? How do you define old age? Is it merely by the counting of the years? It is for the young and brave hearts to rise and revolt, and for the old and wise minds to judge and rule? Age remains a relative matter, for some are old at 30, while others are young at 70. It is the age of the heart that is of consequence, not of the body. Wrinkles on the body matter little, as long as they do not deform the spirit. It is more than surprising to hear the dean of journalism, Mohamed Hassanein Heykal, condemn an older presidential candidate in favour of youth, when he remains as young as ever in body and soul, despite the passing of the years. He remains alert, agile with a quick and active mind that has never stopped observing, elucidating and contributing to his profession and his country. Are we to sacrifice all this, because he is no longer among the breed of the brazen young? Who can remember the great comedian Naguib al Rihani, as young? Once a cavalry officer, Ahmed Mazhar started his film career at 40, and continued to be a leading man in films for almost 4 decades. Thomas Mann started writing also at 40. Actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood, is still writing, directing and acting at 82 and winning Oscars to boot. Would we have him put away to pasture, because he no longer makes hearts swoon? Having lived for years in the US, I have witnessed the deference and reverence accorded to 'senior citizens', and the power they wield. Senior citizen Ronald Reagan was one of their outstanding presidents. To proceed with our defense of age, a quick look at history's great achievers in their twilight years is vital. We immediately discover nothing is inherently and invincibly young except the spirit. The whirligig of time may affect the body, but need not affect the mind, provided one clings most tenaciously to its state of well being. Thomas Edison,(1847-1931), perhaps the greatest inventor in history, had only 3 months of formal schooling, but changed our lives with the electric light and the phonograph. Edison patented 1093 inventions in his lifetime. During the last 5 years of his life he invented the duplicating machine, the Dictaphone, a storage battery and a cement mixer. His contributions continued at a steady pace until his death at 84. General Charles De Gaul, (1890- 1970), won a second 7 �ê"year term as President of France, at age 75. He resigned in 1969 and died a year later of a heart attack. Would he not be acceptable as a presidential candidate in Egypt? It was during his last years at age 67 that Leonardo da Vinci, (1452-1519), produced his many drawings of machines and of experimental inventions, which rank among his greatest masterpieces, especially in their delicate use of shadow and their sense of motion. What was the world to do with his great endowments in his old age? His ideas about art and engineering, brilliantly drawn on 42,000 pages were a summary of all his powers and skills. The genius of Baroque music, Johann Sebastian Bach, (1685-1750), continued composing in his twilight years, when he was nearly blind. His "Fifth Period" included "Canonic Variations on a Chorale", "Musical Offering", and "The Art of Fugue". His passion for music only increased with age. Thomas Wolfgang Von Goethe, (1749-1832), a central figure of German and European classical romantic literature, completed his masterpiece, "Faust", only a few months before his death. His sensuality and joy in life was never diminished with age. So what if the step is a little slower, the vision a little dimmer or the hair a little greyer, as long as the heart can still beat with desire, the mind still light up with knowledge! The young wish to squeeze out the old, just like Science wishes to squeeze out Literature. Society needs both. American millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt, (1794-1877), added $100 million more to his fortune at age 80. Louis Adolphe Thiers. (1797-1877), established the Third Republic of France and became its first president at 73. Giuseppe Verdi, (1813-1901), composed "Falstaff", one of the greatest comic operas ever written, at 80. Antonio Stradivari, (1644-1737), made his first violin at 60. William Ewart Gladstone, (1809-1898), learned a new language at 70, and was voted Prime Minister of England at 83. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether he is 20 or 80. To remain young, is to keep the fire of passion burning bright, to take pleasure in the joys of life, to keep an open mind to all that is new, fresh and stimulating, and above all to believe in a cause, an idea, a vocation or a hobby. Do not frown or brood and lament the passing years. "The best is yet to be"! Old age can burn brightly and none but the Almighty can snuff it out. Retire! Retire to what? "The old age of an eagle is better than the youth of a sparrow". -- Greek proverb
