If Youth knew if Age could

The statement if youth knew and age could refers to the possibility of what things could be if the young knew the truths of life and were wise and if the old could be more strong and do what is required even in old age. The statement seems to suggest that such things are only utopic dreams and not actually possible, since the youth lack wisdom and the old lack physical strength. In the new age however this seems very much possible. First, the youth of today is far more wisened and second, the old far more young.

Note: We have presented this essay in a bullet format for easy assimilation of points made

• There was a time when at 40 one felt like a really old man with grandchildren and failing health, a time more appropriate for the recommended 'vanaprastha' as per old hindu customs.
• It was time to let your son be the head of the joint family and take over the reigns of the physically strenuous duties of maintaining the household.
• Even though one did not go out into the jungle, one simply relaxed and used his wisdom to guide the new head of the family.
• Those were ofcourse times when a lot of physical labour was required to achieve anything.
• People traveled on foot, did not have the comforts of modern day living, could not do business right from the home via the phone or internet, etc.
• Now science and medicine have advanced enough to make life absolutely sedentary and easy on the physique.
• Longevity and vigour have dramatically improved. At forty, one manages to marry and only slightly settle into some kind of life.
• Children are still school going and in no way ready to take over the reigns. In fact the saying 'life starts at forty' seems more appropriate and retirement isn't even an option.
• Yes government servants do have a retirement age, but that is a forced decision rather than an optional one or a necessary one.
• Things like retirement ages fixed by governments are very much dependant on political and other social factors like availability of jobs etc.
• And people continue in similar fields or do something new even after retirement. Even in sports people no longer retire.
• They may not play any more, but they either start coaching or doing commentaries or open sports institutes.
• Nowadays, the youth wings of various parties have leaders the age of forty, a clear signal towards what is called youth today.
• The above statement also implies that young people are more energetic and over enthusiastic and the old more balanced and patient but at the same time, may lack the drive to change things.
• The youth in their enthusiasm overlook some finer details and jeopardize the journey; and the old, being overcautious, miss the bus.
• It further implies that if only the youth knew more balance and the old, more adventure, great things could be achieved.
• And this is the balance that our own government has tried to achieve through the civil services, which puts young Turk's at the head of departments full of older and experienced people who can constantly guide them and ring the warning bells; while the young ones with their fresh insights and enthusiasm can give shape to a new India.
• Having seen that an aged person now is not a man of 40 but more suitably of 60, and a young man is not only a man in his 20's but well may be nearer 40, there has occurred an overlapping of the young and the old.
• This obviously means an admixture of the old and the young. This potent mixture has all the capabilities of fulfilling mankind's dreams, and we are surely headed towards the right direction.
• There is, however, still talk of things like generation gap, but this gap is not only between the old and the young.
• Longevity has given rise now to the gap between the very young, the mature and the old, and the idea is very well portrayed by the veteran filmmaker Mr. Raj Kapoor, in his film 'Kal Aaj Aur Kal'.
• A greater openness and the overlapping of youth and old has lead to a greater understanding of things.
• We are surely heading towards a balance of mind in the young and a feeling of adventure in the old, and therefore it's no longer 'if we could', but 'we shall'. We know and we can.

By

-Jagdeep Singh More, Mumbai