"USAP TAYO"
Social media is full of advice on how to grow old—how to “age properly.” Stay active. Pick up hobbies. Keep moving. And yes, for those who still have their health, that advice makes sense. Many do exactly that, and it’s a good thing. But I find myself thinking about what comes after that—when the strength is no longer there. I see it twice a week during my morning walks. In our village, along the route I take, there’s a man named Jimmy. Frail, quiet, and almost always alone. Each time I pass, he sits on a small stool on a narrow strip of pavement, shaded by a makeshift umbrella and a line of trees. Just sitting. One morning, he called out to me: “Pagbalik mo, usap tayo.” (When you come back, let’s talk.) So I did. He told me his story. He is 88 now, once an executive at a travel agency. He still speaks clearly, thoughtfully. A newspaper rests on his lap, more for company than for reading. He used to meet a group of seniors for coffee every morning at McDonald’s. That h...