Intern

I watched the movie Intern tonight. For me it is a great movie; curing, funny and let me see something I never think before.

First, I never seriously think about how I would look like when I am old. Being 25, young and healthy enough,  I never worry too much because it seems so far away from me. But is it? Maybe it isn't. At least I have seen my parents aging during the last several years. They are more vulnerable to  fatigue, disease; and getting less and less strong. Yet they have so much to worry about, the loan, the stocks, work, grandparents, me, everything. If similar case is with me, I would also be doing this in my 40s and 50s. Would it be interesting? Maybe not. How about my 60s and 70s? I would be retired then; traveling around the world or staying home looking after my grandchildren? I would prefer to balance such life.

Back to the movie. Ben is a 70 years old man, with music in his heart. He is very observant and considerate, always being there to care about people. I guess no one would not like him as a friend. It is the character that he cares about people deep from heart, not just a personality. As an intern, he offered to help other people, create opportunities for himself and use his business experience, in a very comforting way. I could not imagine one who had been an VP would like to do that again. Is it a normal status for old people? Maybe not. At least I know some old people are not really into this amiable feeling. They sometimes like to be the teacher of other people and dictate them what to do, in a not so comforting way and call it 'for your good'. Yet I also met old people who are very very caring and nice, offer their best help if needed but never try to be the dictator. What you might need is advice from them, only if you seek for it.

Thoreau once said, "What old people say you cannot do, you try and find that you can. Old deeds for old people, and new deeds for new." I would argue that it is partially true. Yes, old people might not know the young generations so well. The gap is not easy to fill up. However being old doesn't mean useless. They compose such an important part of our society. They might have more wisdom on how old people would think about things. If you want to know old people's needs, there is no better way to ask or observe them. They usually have more traditions kept than young generations. Actually in the movie Ben as an old school guy, has very good memory and highly organized personal life. In contrast young people in the movie are much more lazy, more forgetful and less organized. They have a life after retirement; they also need love from another one, could be spouse or not. 

Compare life of China and West, it looks quite different. My grandparents seemed not very enjoy their life after retirement. To be honest, as peasants, they never felt it a good time to enjoy life. Grandma, widowed for about 20 years, is always looking after her chickens, ducks, vegetable fields and also like to play majo. Grandpa, widowed for more than 20 years, likes to drink some alcohol and talk with other old people. They seem not so interesting to travel around. I don't know if I will also be bounded by something when I am old.