In fact, no one deserves an exhausting routine and old age is the period in which we should rest. However, not wanting to defend this pension reform, but just raising another point of view: if it's bad to work a lot, not having the possibility to feel useful is not pleasant either.
Of course, for those who read this text at eight o'clock in the morning during working hours, they will not find much meaning in these words, but it is also necessary to be sensitive to those who are depressed because they do not have a job or who reach an advanced age without feeling useful. for the society. Recent research shows that elderly people who do not feel useful have a shorter life expectancy. While it's not so clear, there are ways beyond simple paid work for us to feel useful.
“If we light a torch for others, we will also light our own path”, says an old Buddhist thought. We usually restrict what we consider “to be useful” to materiality, that is, to physical or monetary efforts, but usefulness is something much more than that. We can be of service to others in a variety of ways, whether it's doing some kind of volunteer work or simply listening to someone else. Have you ever thought about spending an afternoon in a nursing home, for example, listening to the elderly and their stories?
Providing support and solidarity to another person, listening to them and being considerate of their problem is one of the most effective ways to be of service to someone. In a time ruled by social networks and the need to have an opinion about anything, hearing becomes something increasingly rare in society and, consequently, becomes even more useful for everyone.
Text written by Diego Rennan from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team.
