馬齒徒增
美國這個社會崇尚年輕，年紀大的無意中或多或少受到些不便或歧視，中國人也有說樹老根多，人老話多，認為人老了會變成老奸巨猾老謀深算，形容他們是坐著就想睡，躺下睡不著，新的記不住，舊的忘不了，醇酒可以越放越值錢，人則越老越不值，老就像一桶滅火器，可以把青春時的熱情變成泡沫。麻煩的是老像愛一樣，是藏不住瞞不了的，想騙幾歲也不容易。
老年與青年兩個不同世代的人好像無意中形成對立，隨著歲月的增長，有人敬告老的人也要為自己多一點設想，在汽車貼紙上曾經看到：「對自己好一點，多用掉一點要給孩子的遺產。」也見過：「要報復兒女曾經帶給你的麻煩，努力活久一點，好做孩子的負擔。」
王爾德說過：「老年人什麼都相信，中年人什麼都懷疑，年輕人什麼都知道。」四十五十是一個分界線，有人說四十是年輕人中的長者，五十是老年中的年輕人。上要養老下要育小是中年人辛苦的地方，所以有人到中年萬事哀的說法，如果此時工作出了變化是相當麻煩的事，大陸有所謂中年是[種田難賺，從商缺本，工廠嫌老]的情形，身體也起了變化，有人有這樣的感嘆：「想當年我們的腿硬似鐵，上山下海不用歇，如今上個三樓歇三歇。想當年我們的牙硬似鐵，開瓶啃骨不用歇，如今上吃塊豆腐牙出血。」更別說腰酸背痛，雨天要來像身體如氣象台一般先知道，走起路來膝蓋會響，更逃不過三B的困惑，頭頂是baldness，牙齒是bridgework，眼睛是bifocals。中年的記憶變shorter，經驗變longer，額頭變higher。不由得想起：「高堂明鏡杯白髮，朝如清絲暮成雪」、「少壯能幾時，鬢髮各已蒼」的詩句。
媒體對於女人的年紀總是以譏笑的態度來看，例如說：「為什麼同是四十歲的女人看起來比男人老？」「因為所謂的四十歲女人可能實際上是五十歲。」還說美國喜劇女星菲樂絲迪樂在六十二歲生日時說自己是三十五歲，因為她天天吃birthday control pills[避歲藥]。
問長壽的秘訣，老人說：「保持繼續呼吸就可以了。」還聽過一位記者訪問活到一百齡三歲的長者，「你難道不會擔心活這麼老，經濟會有問題嗎？」沒想到得到的回答是：「我一點也不擔心，因為我常常接收孩子給我的遺產。」
留言
Yes, in this country when you are 30, you are old. In this country, you gotta be young, you gotta be pretty, and you gotta be rich then you will live like a king/queen.
發表: Peter Hsu | March 14, 2008 10:29 AM
Peter Hsu: You seem pessimistic. Oh! Life isn't the way as you thought. Time can cure many things.
發表: long-term disease suffer. | March 14, 2008 11:31 AM
Life begins at 70. You are as young as you feel.
馬齒徒增 = 馬英九的牙齒增加了
發表: 凍蒜 | March 14, 2008 01:07 PM
My friend, Long-term disease suffer:
Don't get me wrong. This is an encouragement and a motto to our life. What I meant is that "you gotta be hurry doing things you like when you are young."
P.S. I was told by my American friends first time in 1971 in NYC and I heard it many many times later.
發表: Peter Hsu | March 14, 2008 04:28 PM
be rich then you will live like a king/queen.
???? !!!!
發表: interesting | March 14, 2008 11:35 PM
President Reagan, at his inauguration party in 1980, he wore his $50,000 suit, and his bed was worth $100,000. He was rich. In this country, money represents your success or not. I might be wrong but it is reality.
發表: Peter Hsu | March 18, 2008 06:08 PM
Can't buy me love...
發表: Beatles | March 19, 2008 12:15 AM
money represents your success
This saying
令人觸良多﹐ 但又費解 ......but my priority is health, health can produce success. Dear Beatles blog friend: What cannot buy love? Is it "money" ?
發表: 費解 | March 19, 2008 12:32 PM
To my friends:
This is a capitalist country and seems everyone is pursuing money.
You might "hate" Jewish people but they (most of them) are rich. What can you say?
"Can't buy me love....". However, other people don't think this way as you do. "No bread, no love"! Or "no money, no honey." (Not a joke).
Yes, health is a priority, however, money can bring you health too.
My friends, what I am saying is a general idea, NOT a "rule." This is also an encouragement.
If Liu Bang and Siang Yu didn't see Qing Shi Huang touring the country, they might stay home for nothing.
發表: Peter Hsu | March 20, 2008 12:32 PM