These are trying times. With many people in lockdown, this is a major drain on our mental health. Even when life hasn’t changed that much, like Tom’s and mine, it is obvious that the mere fact we can’t do as we please causes discomfort and confusion.
Is true happiness possible in times like this? I think it is, but let’s be honest and realistic – it asks for more effort.
Effort? Isn’t being happy not just something you are or are not?
Many people who struggle in life often belittle happiness and like to claim that true happiness is not even possible at all. Trying times or not.
This is Kishie Yoshida (1912). She worked in a velveteen factory from age 12 through 25. Married at 25 and got 4 children. In her married life she worked with her husband, buying and selling produce from the countryside. She is in 2013 still strong enough to weed the garden and sweep the floor.
What can we learn from a country at old age such as Japan? Japan is a very encouraging and inspiring example. It’s the country with the highest life expectancy rate in the world. Moreover, in 2033 a third of the Japanese will be 65 and over.
Already in 1980 Japan was ‘an aged society’. In 2005 Japan surpassed Italy and became the country with the highest amount of people aged 65 and over. Japan really is at old age. Which means that Japan has a lot of experience with aging. How does it cope and what can we learn?
Old Age Demographics
To be able to learn from Japan as a nation at Old Age, some background information is relevant. In Japan live just over 126 million people. This is 334 people per square kilometer (Netherlands: 417,8; UK: 270,7; China: 145; USA: 33,6). Life expectancy between men and women differs substantially, respectively 79,4 to 85,9 years. As a result, in the age group 75 and over, for every 10 men there are 16 women.
When we were children, rarely we thought about health and fitness. Unless we got seriously ill, we lived without a care in the world. We ate junk food, played games for hours on end, and drank soda pops at midnight. And the best thing? We never had to pay for it. Our bodies were in superb condition no matter what we put them through!
As we get older, our thoughts invariably switch to our health. We realize that we simply cannot sustain a life of indulgence. We want to extend our life expectancy and be free of debilitating conditions, such as diabetes and osteoporosis.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
