Happily Busy

We can choose to withdraw into our own world or use our talents to bless others. WE ALL go through different phases in our lives. During our youth, we are bursting with zeal and vitality. We do not mind working in rural areas away from home because we are game for anything. This is because we have boundless energy and drive. However, in middle age, we tend to slow down. We want to put down our roots, and we do not want to move out of our comfort zone. We prefer a slower pace of living. In old age, many people feel sluggish. They become very set in their ways as they do not want to try out new ideas and learn new things. I have some friends above 50 who refuse to learn how to use a computer or a handphone. Some even build walls around themselves by giving up travelling and socialising. They just refuse to make new friends or mix with younger people. They seem happy to live in a cocoon into which they retreat deeper and deeper. No wonder so many retirees feel so jaded and bored with life. Their world becomes so small. For such people, life starts going downhill at 55. There is no lilt in their voice, no sparkle in their eyes and no spring in their steps. They do not know what to do with their time after retirement. They feel useless and unproductive. Every day, they get up late and are glued to the television. I believe this is not how we should live our lives. For me, life begins at 55. Now I am living my life to the fullest. I find that I am busier and happier now than before I retired. On the day I retired, I felt a great sense of liberation in my spirit. At last, I could look forward to a life free from stress, after 31 years of teaching. I no longer had to burn my candle at both ends or burn the midnight oil in order to finish my schoolwork. Life was stressful and demanding then, as I had to juggle my time between teaching and housework. My time was very structured. Every day, I had to finish my cooking by 6 o’clock so that I could go for my exercise. At night I had to finish clearing up by 9 o’clock so that I could sit down to finish my schoolwork. I could only go to bed at 12.30 every night. Loaded with four English classes, I was always bogged down with work. I even marked books while watching television or travelling and once, while attending a wedding dinner. Marking examination scripts while I was on holiday or on Teacher’s Day was nothing new. When I became Senior English teacher, all the paperwork increased my workload. I was always “stealing” time to finish my marking. Oftentimes. I felt very burnt out. I even applied for optional retirement, which was rejected. It was by God’s grace that I could teach until 55. I could not wait to retire! A new chapter in my life has begun. Now I have enough time to rest and relax, and do all the things I enjoy, like gardening, writing, reading, baking, trying out new recipes and travelling. I can exercise in the morning and evening. Since I retired, I have lost about 12 pounds. It is wonderful to feel healthier and more vibrant.

When I retired, I received nine recipe books, so I keep myself busy cooking and making finger food. Whenever a friend or neighbour is sick, I prepare some nutritious chicken soup for them. It is very rewarding to see people enjoy my cooking. Although I miss teaching English, I am grateful that I can still contribute to the teaching of English in Wordwise which sometimes appears in the Mind Our English column. I write to keep my mind active and to improve my English all the time. I write poems to encourage others and for pleasure. On weekends, I am involved in my church’s hospital ministry. Together with other church members, I visit hospitals, nursing homes and private homes to bring cheer and comfort to the sick and handicapped. I was first challenged to minister to the sick five years ago when my own mother was in a coma. I visited her every day in the hospital. I became very sad and anxious. One day, God told me, “Don’t just focus on your needs, but minister to those around you.” Thus I started to pray for the women around my mother and in the nearby wards. Next, I blessed them with my cooking. As I saw how my little acts of kindness could touch the sick, I realised how important this ministry was. As I learnt to focus on the needs of others, my anxiety and sadness disappeared immediately. Every Saturday, we derive much joy and satisfaction in praying for the sick, singing to the infirm, encouraging the weary and cheering up the lonely. Many of them feel so touched by our love and concern that some of them are moved to tears. They show their appreciation by hugging us. My time is also spent on my church’s Barnabas project, which is an ongoing recycling project. Through it, we have been able to raise funds for the poor and needy who require surgery and medical aid. I collect recyclable items like plastic bottles, aluminium cans, cardboard boxes and old newspapers from my neighbourhood. This recycling project has blessed many people. One of the secrets of staying young is to work with young people. Their enthusiasm is so contagious. I enjoy meeting younger people who share my interests. We go out and do things together. It is fun to be with them as they are adaptable and easy-going. I enjoy travelling because that enables me to experience different cultures, meet new people and learn new things. I find places of natural beauty very invigorating and exhilarating. I will never forget Jiuzhaigou, China, for its breath-taking beauty. People say that I look rather youthful for my age. I tell them that, to stay youthful, we have to maintain our zest for living, be active (physically and mentally), learn new things, make new friends and be a blessing to others.

Thus my life is more fulfilling now as I can use all my talents to bless those around me. We can choose to be a burden or a blessing to others. We will stay younger and healthier when we choose to bless others. Life is what you make of it.

兴高采烈地忙着 按流量

洛克

我们可以选择撤回到自己的世界

,或用我们的人才 ,祝福他人 .

在我们的生活中，我们都经历着不同的阶段,. 我们年青时,　满怀热情和活力.　 我们不介意在远离家乡的农村工作, ,因为我 们的游戏是什么. 这是因为我们有无穷的能量和动力. 然而,在中年时,我们往往会放慢. 我们要放下自己的根,我们不希望走出我们的舒 适区. 我们宁可放慢脚步的生活. 在旧时代,很多人都觉得呆滞. 他们有他们自己的方法,　他们不想尝试新的思路 和学习新事物. 我有一些 50 以上的朋友,　他们不知道如何使用电脑或手机. 有 的甚至在自己周围筑起墙壁放弃旅游和社交. 他们只是拒绝结交新朋友或混入年 轻的人. 他们似乎乐于生活在一个茧里，结果，他们撤退得越陷越深. 难怪许多退休者感到厌烦和生活单调. 他们的世界变得这么小. 对于这些人而言, 人生开始走下坡,为 55 岁. 毫无 lilt 在其语音,没有火花,在他们眼中,并没有春天, 在他们的舞步. 他们不知道如何处理自己的时间后退休. 他们觉得自己一无是处, 毫无结果. 他们每天迟起床，然后便盯着电视. 我相信这不应该是我们的生活, 我的生命始于 55 . 现在我住在我的生活充实. 我发觉我忙开心,现在比以前,我的 退休生活. 就一天,我退休了,我觉得很有成就感,解放我的灵魂. 最后,我可以期待一个自由生 活的压力,经过 31 年的教学. 我已不再为我烧蜡烛两头烧或午夜石油,以完成我的 功课. 生活的压力和要求,然后,我不得不耍我的时候,教学与家务. 我当时很有条理. 每 天,我已完成我做饭六时,让我可以继续我的工作. 晚上,我已完成清理,由 9 点钟, 让我可以坐下来完成我的功课. 我只能去床 12.30 每晚. 装有 4 个英语班,我总是 陷入与工作. 我什至标书籍一边看电视或旅行一次,而参加婚礼的晚宴. 标识试卷 的,而我是在度假或教师节的新意. 当我的高中英语老师,对所有文件增加我的工 作量. 我总是"偷"时间完成我的标记. 缪思. 我感到十分起火燃烧. 我什至申请择 退休,但遭到拒绝. 它是由上帝的恩典,我可以教到 55 . 我不能等到退休!

新的一页,我的生活已经开始. 现在,我有足够的时间来休息和放松,而做的所有事 情,我喜欢,喜欢园艺,写作,阅读,烘烤,勇于尝试新食谱和乘车. 我可以运用在早晨 和傍晚. 自从我退休了,我已失去了大约 12 磅. 这是美妙的感觉更健康,更有活力. 当我退休后,我收到九个看书,所以我把自己忙于做饭和使手指的食物. 每当有朋 友或邻居生病了,我准备一些营养丰富的鸡汤. 这是非常值得看的人欣赏我的烹 饪. 虽然我很怀念英语教学,我很感激我仍然可以有助于英语教学 wordwise 有时出现 在头脑中英文栏目. 我写我保持积极的态度和提高我的英语水平的所有时间. 我 写的诗来鼓励他人为乐趣. 上周末,我和我在教堂的院部. 连同其他教会成员,我探访医院,疗养院和私人住宅, 使打气,并安慰病人和残疾人. 我第一次被质疑,部长给病人五年前,当我自己的母 亲处于昏迷状态. 我参观她每天在医院里. 我感到十分难过和焦急. 有一天,上帝告诉我, "不要只集中于你的需要,但部长到你周围"因此,我开始祷告, 为周围的女性,我和妈妈就在附近的病房. 接下来,我祝福他们,我做饭. 正如我看到我的小行为善良,可以触摸病人,我认识到 自己是多么重要,这是部. 我的教训,将重点放在其他人的需要,我的焦虑和悲痛立即消失. 每星期六,我们从中获得很多乐趣和满足感,在祈祷,为贫弱歌唱体弱,鼓励厌倦欢 呼起来寂寞. 许多人觉得很感动,我们的爱和关注,其中一些人被感动得掉泪. 证明 他们赞赏我们拥抱. 我的时间也是花在我的教会的巴纳巴斯项目,是一个不断进行再造工程. 通过它, 我们已经能够筹集到的资金为贫苦的人需要接受手术和医疗援助. 我收集可回收 物品,如塑料瓶,铝罐,纸箱和旧报纸,从我的邻居. 这项回收计划有福了不少人. 秘密之一留年轻,是青年工作. 他们的热情是如此蔓延. 我喜欢会议年轻的人分享 我的利益. 我们走出去,并一起做些事情. 这是乐趣,可以与它们适应环境和随和. 我喜欢旅行,因为这使我有机会体验不同的文化,结识新朋友和学习新事物. 我找 地方自然景色十分振奋和欣喜. 我永远不会忘记九寨沟,中国,其美不胜收之美. 有人说看我的青春,而我的年龄. 我告诉他们,以青春长驻,我们要保持我们 5612 名生活,活跃(身心) ,学习新事物,结交新朋友,并祝福他人. 　如今 ,　我的生活更加充实,　现在我可以用我所有的人才,祝福那些在我身边. 我们可以选择是一个很大的负担或祝福他人. 我们将继续保持年轻健康时,我们 选择了以祝福等.

生活是由你自己创造出来的．