Cherry Blossoms in Winter

Paper cherry blossoms, cardboard trees flowering into colour, and a green origami crane beautifully crafted by gnarled hands – a picture of hope in the winter of life. These are some of the images which remain with me from my visit to Saikoh-En Nursing Home. A small group of foreigners living in Japan volunteered care and kindness to the elderly residents of this home one afternoon in late March. It was an experience which deeply impressed me.

The morning was spent learning about the facility and various products for elderly care. However, the most special time was saved for last – an afternoon craft session with the residents. Then we were able to meet and make new friends. As I helped, or photographed these lovely seniors patiently making paper sakura (Japanese for “cherry blossoms”) or colouring cartoon characters, I could not help but reflect on Shakespeare’s observations about the aging process. This is part of what he said in the play "As You Like It":

The sixth age shifts... his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble,

Pipes and whistles in his sound.
Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything

Our new friends had a time-tempered, calm intelligence about them, yet were like little children in many ways. The simplest of recreation gave them the greatest of pleasure. Doing the most basic tasks also called for close supervision and assistance. Some eagerly asked us to write our names and nationalities for them on their craft paper, like eager school kids. One elderly lady offered a lovely origami crane to a fellow ALT in a gesture of kindness and offer of friendship.

There was such childlike innocence and contentment. The dark side of this pristine experience came in the shape of dementia – that dimension of mere oblivion. There were many residents who had already entered such an advanced stage of mental deterioration that they could not respond intelligibly to our kindness. In fact they seemed to be only capable of reflexive hostility and anger. Gracious gestures were received with vacant grunts of ill temper. Of course, we understood that they were not aware of what they were doing, but it was still deeply unsettling; truly sad.

Such experiences cause one to pause and consider – How did the fortunate ones escape the savagery of senility? How can one beat the odds? What is the value of old age? Why are we often so uncomfortable about greying and getting old? What should we do today to prepare for tomorrow?

I’m sure there is a complexity of factors behind senility and dementia. The mental aspect of what I observed really intrigued me. I couldn’t help but ponder the psychological implications of a sedentary approach to life; not simply from purely physical point of view, but also from the perspective of journeying – especially journeying in God.

If we wander through life with a mindless acceptance of every value that buddies up to us, I am convinced we could end up old and doddering. I can’t help but think that introspection, inquiry and active learning help guard against mental corrosion; especially when we develop a personal culture of musing upon God’s Word. I remain convinced that deep thought in our ‘youth’ can preserve us from dullness of mind in our closing years.

I believe that old age was designed to be an accolade of accumulated experience and good sense. Grey hair is the proverbial crown of wisdom. This is how it was meant to be, since those nearing their latter years are meant to leave an inheritance of sound advice and right thinking to those who follow after. Every succeeding generation is supposed to journey farther faster thanks to the heritage of older generations.

Those of us still in the spring of life need not dread the passing of the seasons. Now is the time to build our stores, for winter will come. In the bare wintry landscape ahead, we can still be flowering trees, offering hope, life and precious advice. The silver head is a treasure of experience, as lovely as cherry blossoms sparkling with snowy crystals. The crown of age is the garland of a life well-lived.