Uplifting QUORA question : " What is the point of living over 70 or , if most of us won't be able to work and we will need someone else to take care of us " " [ Ask me next July 26 when I turn 80 ( ? ) . Meantime I will stay afloat ! ]

What is the point of living over 70 or so, if most of us won't be able to work and we will need someone else to take care of us? I once heard an elderly man give an answer to this question that has stayed with me ever since. Someone asked him, What's the point of living after 70 if you can't work anymore and you might have to be taken care of? He smiled and said, Do you think my purpose in life is to make money? He went on to say, When I was in my twenties my purpose was to make a career. When I was in my forties my purpose was to have children. Now my purpose is different. I tell my grandchildren stories so they can know the lessons I've learned. I teach them and give them advice so they know what is truly important in life. This response made me think. Often times we base the value of a person on how much they contribute to society. If we saw a baby we wouldn't say "that's a waste of resources" would we? We wouldn't say that parents who are forced to retire have no value would we? Just because a person cannot work does not mean their existence is pointless. People who are over the age of 70 often continue to contribute to their families by doing many things. They might volunteer their time, mentor younger people, take care of their grandchildren or be there for their friends. Studies have shown that people who have strong social ties and a sense of worth after retiring are happier and healthier. Sure as you get older you will need to rely on others more often. However, just because you need to be taken care of doesn't mean you have no value. Sometimes the most important gifts come not in what people do but in what they teach us and leave for us.