[ANGELO DE SIMONE, Bella la vita in tutte le stagioni, San Paolo, Milan 2002, 89]

Resource and old age, these two terms are proposed to us as an apparently contradictory binomial. Few persons in our society, in fact, would feel old age to be a true human-spiritual resource. Yet, yesterday, like today, it is possible to touch with our hands that it can be a precious gift, a gift from Above that ensures for the aged a "tranquillity of heart" which is not offered by other seasons of life; as well as luminous reflexes to those who live close by, reflexes of wisdom from where each one can fetch freely, while feeling the joyful voice caused by a spring of peace in the depth of one’s being.

It may be good to underline straightaway that old age does not indicate only the quantity of accumulated years, but rather the depth of feeling and the capacity of re-visiting courageously one’s own past life, which help to understand the present and to foretaste a better future.

James Hillman, in his work entitled La forza del carattere (Adelphi, Milan 2000), writes, "In the old days, the aged were not thought of as plodding individuals moving with uncertain steps towards the door of death, but as solid depositaries of customs and legends, as custodians of local values, as skilled persons in arts and works, as voices appreciated by the Civil Council" (page 37). What mattered and still matters was their courage, proved by a long life, by values which were loved and actuated in their daily life. On the other side, there have been and there are still today, young persons with an old soul, constantly waiting for the opportune moment to finally realise themselves.

The specific mission of the aged is several times underlined in the Bible, as well as in sacred texts of other cultures. "Come and sit with us and tell us what you mean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have" (Daniel 13,50). "Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Collect me seventy of the elders of Israel, men you know to be the people’s elders and scribes. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand beside you there. I shall come down and talk to you there and shall take some of the spirit which is on you and put it on them" (Nm 11, 16).

Humility – The experience of life, with all its contours of shadows and light, is and efficacious teacher involving the human heart, as well as a perfect educator of humility. Ernest Hemingway, in his modest, yet famous book Il vecchio e il mare, about the protagonist Santiago, the old fisherman, writes, "He was too simple to ask himself when he had reached humility, but he knew of having reached it and knew that it was not without decorum, that it did not imply a wastage of his dignity" (Mondadori, Milan 2000, p. 6).

Humility, namely the great thirst for the truth that frees the heart and offers precious spaces to dreams, is a characteristic of the aged man who knows of having lived intensely, and now does not wait anything more for himself. "He did no longer dream of storms, of women or great adventures, nor big fish or strength competition…." (Page 17), and he smiled of eventual judgments of others, "If others heard me speak loudly (all alone), they would think that I am mad; but since I am not mad, I don’t mind it" (Page 31).

Listening –He who knows how precious life is, keeps contacts with Him who saves it continually, and stands in the listening to that of others, with respect and appreciation of all that he desires and can communicate. But listening requires silence, very much silence. Only in silence the listening to the heart is possible, where God has fixed his tent and, being the centre of our existence, he shares with us the secrets of his very life. An attentive silence can help the other to listen to his own heart and become, with him, a prophet of peace. In fact, our God is a God of unity and not of conflict (See: 1 Co. 14, 33).

The humble person has a lot to learn, thus it loves silence with predilection. He tries to deepen in it every message he receives, with the hope of contemplating the loving sight of God. In fact, the deepest relations are not woven by many words, but by an attentive listening, which nurtures itself with silence, wisdom and true love.

To this end, the Sacred Scripture comes to the rescue once again, "Learn before you speak (Sir 18, 19). "A fool talks a great deal"(Qo. 10,14). "Nobody who fails to keep a tight rein on the tongue can claim to be religious; this is mire self-deception; that person’s religion is worthless" (James: 1,

26). Gratitude –He who seeks God is aware of his littleness and at the same time rejoices at his love and participation in his project of salvation. Paul VI, a deeply human prophet and authentic pilgrim of beauty that is a divine energy, the only one that will save our times, says with a grateful heart, "As far as I am concerned, I wish I finally had a synthetic and wise notion of the world and of life (…). Everything is a gift, all is grace; how beautiful was the landscape through which we have passed. Too beautiful, so much as we have allowed us to be attracted and charmed, while it would have appeared as a sign and an invitation (…). This mortal life, despite its travails, its dark mysteries, its sufferings and fatal caducity, is a very beautiful fact, an always original and moving prodigy, worthy of being sung (…). It is a reverberation, a reflex of the first and unique Light; it is the natural revelation of an extraordinary richness and beauty, which was supposed to be an initiation, a prelude, anticipation and invitation to the vision of the invisible Sun".

Even the aged man, who has experienced its limits and the mercy of the Lord, gradually acquires a sweet sight, gestures and words reflecting the One who constantly lives at his side and makes of him a credible and joyful witness. His gratitude for all he has received makes him welcome the other, above all the least and most forgotten one, pushing him to seek his good in a discreet and serene way, without minding or worrying for the eventual fatigue.

The aged man has more time at his disposal, but he is not necessarily less active because of it, less in dialogue with the heart of people, less attentive to events and their meanings. He keeps on living intensely for the Lord and for others, learning more and more to rely on the passing days with a grateful heart.