노년의 자세

[정해송]

^*^노년의 자세^*^ 

어느 조찬 모임에서

저 보다 연세가 많은 분이 퀴즈를 냈습니다.

"우리 나이가 어떤 나이냐?" 는 겁니다 느닷없는 질문이어

그냥 무슨 말이 이어질지 기다리고 있었더니

 "미움 받을 나이"라 했습니다.

생각해보니 의미가 큰 화두입니다.

저는 배우자, 자식, 이웃 친구에게 미움받지 않고 살려고

애써야 된다는 뜻으로 받아들였습니다.

`서양 사람들이 생각하는 노년의 자세`란 글을

학교 친구로 부터 전해받았습니다.

우리 세대에게도 실용적인 지침이 되지만

다음 세대도 이런 생각과 노력을 하고 있다는 걸

이해시키는 것도 중요하다는 생각입니다.

부디 영어 본문도 차근차근 읽고 배우는 기회가 되면 합니다.

 익숙하지 않은 단어가 있으면 사전을 찾아 가면서 읽어 보세요.

​

1. 노년(老年 )은

그 동안 모은 돈을 즐겨 쓰는 시기이다.

돈을 축적(蓄積)하거나

신규 투자(投資)하는 시기가 절대로 아니다.

자식들에게 휘둘리지 말고 평화롭고 조용한 삶을 찾아라.

It's time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it.

Don't just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it.

Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law

with big ideas for your hard earned capital. Warning:

This is also a bad time for an investment, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof.

They only bring problems and worries and this is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

​

2. 자손(子孫)들의 재정(財政) 상태는 그들의 문제이다.

부모가 개의치 마라.  

지금까지 키우고 공부시킨 것만으로도 충분하다.

Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren,

and don't feel bad spending your money on yourself.

You've taken care of them for many years, and you've taught them what you could.

You gave them an education, food, shelter and support.

The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

​

3. 건강관리(健康管理)에 최선을 다 하라.  

건강이 최고다.

건강하게 사는게 점점 어려워지는 나이니

건강을 지키는 걸 최우선으로 하라.

Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort.

Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep.

It's easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy.

That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape

and be aware of your medical and physical needs.

Keep in touch with your doctor, get tested even when you're feeling well. Stay informed.

​

4. 평생의 반려자(伴侶者) 를 위해서는

언제나 최상(最上)의 가장 아름다운 고급품을 사라.

Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other.

The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner.  

one day one of you will miss the other,

and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

​

5. 사소한 일에 Stress를 받지 마라.

과거의 나쁜 기억은 잊고 좋은 일만을 생각하라.

현재가 중요하다

Don't stress over the little things.

You've already overcome so much in your life.

You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present.

Don't let the past drag you down and don't let the future frighten you.

Feel good in the now.

Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. 나이에 개의치 말고 사랑으로 넘치는 생활을 하라.

반려자, 인생, 가족, 이웃들...

Regardless of age, always keep love alive.

Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember:

"A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection."

7. 내적, 외적인 몸치장을 철저하게 잘 하고

자신만만하게, 당당하게 살라.

몸과 마음을 잘 가꾸는데 신경써라

Be proud, both inside and out.

Don't stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails,

go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked.

When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

​

8. 어울리지도 않는 유행을 따르려하지 말고

자신의 나이에 걸 맞는 fashion을 추구하라

Don't lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style.

There's nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters.

You've developed your own sense of what looks good on you

- keep it and be proud of it. It's part of who you are.

​

9. 항시 최신(最新)의 시대 흐름에 뒤지지 마라.

이메일이나 SNS를 멀리 하지 말고

항상 세상뉴스를 듣고, 보고 얘기하라

ALWAYS stay up-to-date.

Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying.

Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks.

You'll be surprised which old friends you'll meet.

Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

​

10. 젊은 세대를 존중하고 그들의 견해를 존중하라.

조언하되 비평하지는 마라.

미래를 열 사람은 젊은이들이다

Respect the younger generation and their opinions.

They may not have the same ideals as you,

but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction.

Give advice, not criticism,

 and try to remind them of yesterday's wisdom that still applies today.

​

11. “옛날 그 시절에”

라는 과거적인 표현을 절대 사용하지 마라.

당신도 이 시대를 사는 사람이다

Never use the phrase: "In my time".

Your time is now. As long as you're alive, you are part of this time.

You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

​

​12. 긍정적(肯定的)인 사람들, 명랑한 사람들과 어울려라.

쓰고 힘든 날들을 얘기하는 사람들과 어울리기에는 인생은 너무 짧다

Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly.

Life is too short to waste your days on the latter.

Spend your time with positive, cheerful people,

 it'll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better.

Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

​

13. 가족들과 자주 어울려 살되 혼자 살 재력이 있다면

자손들과 함께 살려는 유혹에 빠지지 마라.

Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children

or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is).

Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy.

They need theirs and you need yours.If you've lost your partner (our deepest condolences),

then find a person to move in with you and help out.

Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

​

14. 자신의 취미를 살려서 활용하라.

취미가 없다면 더 늦기 전에 새로운 취미를 만들어라.

봉사활동을 하더라도..

Don't abandon your hobbies. If you don't have any,

make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance.

You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf.

You can paint, volunteer at an NGO or just collect certain items.

Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

​

15. 모임, 회식, 세례식, 결혼식 초대에 적극 참여하라.

그렇다고 초대를 못 받는다고 화내지 말라.

중요한 건 집 밖을 나서서 세상살이를 몸으로 접하는 것이다

Even if you don't feel like it, try to accept invitations.

Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences.

Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven't seen in a while,

experience something new (or something old).

But don't get upset when you're not invited.

Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted.

The important thing is to leave the house from time to time.

Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

​

16. 말은 적게 하고,

남의 말을 잘 경청하는 사람이 되라.

듣지 않고 자기 얘기만 떠들어 대면 주위 사람들이 떠난다.

불평, 불만, 비판의 말이 아니라 남이 듣기 좋은 대화의 소재를 찾아라.

Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more.

Some people go on and on about the past,

not caring if their listeners are really interested.

That's a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you.

Listen first and answer questions,

but don't go off into long stories unless asked to.

Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain

or criticize too much unless you really need to.

Try to accept situations as they are.

Everyone is going through the same things,

and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints.

Always find some good things to say as well.

17. 노쇠(老衰)에 따르는 불편함과 고통을 고통으로 생각지 말고

당연한 것으로 자연스럽게 수용하라.

늙는 건 당신 잘못이 아니라 세월 탓이다

Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older.

Try not to dwell on them but accept them

 as a part of the cycle of life we're all going through.

Try to minimize them in your mind.

They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you.

 If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

​

18. 타인의 잘못에는 관대하게 용서(容恕) 하고,

 자신의 실수에는 빨리 사과(謝過)하라.

남의 옳고 그름을 따지면 따질수록 당신의 마음이 먼저 불편해지고 옹졸해진다.

If you've been offended by someone - forgive them.

If you've offended someone - apologize.

Don't drag around resentment with you.

It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn't matter who was right.

Someone once said: "Holding a grudge is like taking poison

and expecting the other person to die."

Don't take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

​

19. 자신의 신앙적(信仰的) 신념을 남에게 강요(强要)하지 마라.

남에게 자신의 가치를  설교하거나 선교하려 하지 말고

자신의 신념에 따라 살면서 모범을 보여라

If you have a strong belief, savor it.

But don't waste your time trying to convince others.

They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them,

 and it will only bring you frustration.

Live your faith and set an example.

Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

​

20. 웃어라 ~~

많이 웃어라 ~~

모든 것에 웃어라 ~~

살면서 유머(감각)를 잃지 말라! ♡(,

Laugh.

Laugh A LOT.

Laugh at everything.

Remember, you are one of the lucky ones.

You managed to have a life, a long one.

Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did.

So what's not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21. 남이 나에 대해 한 말이나

나를 어떻게 생각할 것인지에 신경 쓰지 마라.

휴식하며 평화롭고 행복한 시간을 가질 때이다

Take no notice of what others say about you

and even less notice of what they might be thinking.

They'll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you've achieved.

Let them talk and don't worry.

They have no idea about your history,

your memories and the life you've lived so far.

There's still much to be written, so get busy writing

and don't waste time thinking about what others might think.

Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

​

그리고,

좋은 건 뒤로 미루며 〰

먼저 나쁜 포도주를 마시기에는 인생은. 너무나 짧다❕

​삶을 즐겨라.....

소중한 인생은 매순간에 있다❕

AND REMEMBER: "Life is too short to drink bad wine."