I have a friend who is already 82 years old. Oftentimes, I see him walking around with his dog. He’s always smiling every time I see him. One time I had a meaningful conversation with him.
I asked, “Manoy, how are you?”
He replied, “Well, I’m still the same, a happy guy!”
I said, “That’s what I like about you, Manoy! If you don’t mind, can you share with me the secret of your long healthy life?”
He replied, “Mike, there’s no secret. Look at me. You just have to be happy all the time as much as you can.”
I said, “Yes, of course. It shows! That’s it?”
He replied, “Well, being happy, I would say, contributes to more than 50% of your wellness. So if you say you’re happy, but you continually smoke and drink, surely, someday, you get hit with sickness until you die. So if you say you’re happy, but deep inside you, you continue to be worried and resentful towards others, then sooner or later, you get sick. What I’m saying is you have to take care both of your body and mind.”
I said, “I get it. What about the foods you eat? Are you an organic vegetarian?”
He replied, “Don’t get me wrong. It’s good if you practice that. But if you’re very strict with your diet, making sure everything you consume is organic and vegetarian, but what if one day time will come when you’re already so hungry, but you can’t find anything that’s vegetarian and organic? Would you just continue to be hungry even you feel so weak? You can get sick if that’s the case? Right?”
I replied, “Right. So are you saying you eat anything, so you don’t get hungry?”
He replied, “Of course! But the secret is moderation and letting go.”
I said, “So you have a secret then!”
He replied, “But moderation is not a secret. All people know, we should eat and drink moderately. Right?”
I answered, “Right. What do you mean by letting go? I guess this is your secret.”
He replied, “Well, you can say that. It means just let go of your worries. So if you’re able to eat a grilled steak at a party where you’re invited, of course, it’s an insult to refuse an offer from the host to eat that well-prepared food. Just don’t think about the cholesterol. Just enjoy while eating but then again, in moderation. What I’m saying, your mind mostly dictates whether you’re just gonna be fine or not.”
I said, “I see. What can I say? That’s a very meaningful wisdom you’ve told me, Manoy. Thank you.”
He continued saying, “So be happy but be sincere. You can’t fake happiness. You alone are the only one who knows if you’re really happy or not. Eat pork and beef a little. Drink one bottle of beer. What’s important, you enjoy. You’re not denying yourself life’s simple happiness. Happiness is a state of mind. You create it. But you can’t create it if the outside forces affect you. You should not be affected. Worry is natural. What’s not natural is keeping it in your mind for long. You should not entertain worry. It’s the biggest enemy to happiness. Anger is natural. What’s not natural is keeping it for long. Let go. Forgive. Wish your enemies wellness. If you do, you’re actually wishing yourself wellness. So as you can see, Mike, the mind is very powerful. Don’t you ever underestimate it! It’s like the commander-in-chief of your life.”
I reflected for a while on what Manoy just said as we continued to walk. I must admit, oftentimes, I get to be worried and keeping the worry in my mind for long. By then, I got to be fully aware, especially when he said, “Happiness is a state of mind which we create, and it mostly dictates whether we’re just gonna be fine or not. But then again, I also have to take care of my body since the mind doesn’t have 100% control of our well-being.” I exactly don’t know if this is the first time I’ve heard it. Maybe I’ve read something about it, but it slips my mind, but hearing from someone who lives by it, I’m moved more than ever.
He asked, “You have more questions, Mike?”
I answered, “Yes, I do, Manoy. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna ask some personal questions. Is that ok with you?”
He asked, “What is it?”
I replied, “I know your wife passed away a few years ago, but does that mean you don’t have a sex life anymore?”
He said, “What a question!”
I replied, “I’m sorry about my question. That’s ok if you don’t wanna answer.”
He said, “I’m just amused with your question. Of all the questions in the world, that’s the one you’ve thought?”
I replied, “It’s really ok, Manoy. You don’t have to answer. You don’t have to talk about it.”
He said, “No, no, no! I’ll answer it. You’re not someone I really don’t know. I’ve known you since you were just a little boy. You seem to be a nice man. Is that right?”
I answered, “You’re right, Manoy. You can trust me.”
He said, “Very well. Let’s sit for a while. My knees really want to rest now.”
So we went to something where we could sit. It’s a cemented kind of seat with some dust on it, so I had to wipe it off before sitting.
He said, “So regarding your question, if I tell you this, you’ll be the first person to know, and I don’t plan on telling this to another one. I trust you. Could I be mistaken in trusting you?”
I answered, “No, Manoy. Not at all.”
He said, “First of all, even when my wife was still alive, I masturbated from time to time. You know when you’re old, you don’t enjoy sex as much when you’re younger. I mean, it’s very physically tiring if you’re on top fucking and pumping the vagina. Right?”
I laughed, “Hahahaha! You’re right, Manoy! Although I’m half your age, sometimes, I do feel tired, so I know what you mean.”
He continued saying, “So masturbation is useful, but when she passed away, I realized masturbation loses its meaning. I don’t know, but I felt so empty doing it. So that led me to find someone who could be my sex partner. And since I can’t just grab a girl and have her as my girlfriend! If I do that, what will my children say about me? Not only that, what will people say about me, especially our neighbors?”
I replied, “Right. So what did you do?”
He sat closer beside me. He looked at the back and his side. He then said, “I discovered this place where they offer lingam massage. Do you know what that means?”
I laughed, “Hahahaha! I know what you’re talking about, Manoy.”
He asked, “So you go to those places?”
I answered, “I did but not anymore presently.”
He asked, “Why not?”
I answered, “Let’s just say I wanna be focused with my wife. We still have good sex.”
He replied, “That’s good.”
I asked, “So you go for a Lingam massage and?”
He replied, “That’s the good thing about it because you just have to relax, lie down while the therapist works hard until you reach your orgasm.”
I said, “I’m sure it would take longer for you to cum with your age. Is that right?”
He answered, “You’re right about that!”
I laughed, “Hahaha! And I’m sure you give a big tip to compensate for the efforts of the masseuse. Is that right?”
He answered, “You’re right again!”
I asked, “So have you found your sex partner there?”
He replied, “Why are you so good with your questions as if you already know that my answers are all yes?”
I laughed, “Hahaha! Let’s just say, I’ve been around.”
He said, “That’s good because I’m sharing my secret with the right person.”
I said, “So going back to my question about the sex partner thing.”
He replied, “After trying different therapists, I finally found this girl whom I could say, the perfect one because she’s young, beautiful, and most of all understanding with my age and needs. From then on, I’ve been a frequent patron. I go there once a week, sometimes, twice. If I don’t do this, my life could be boring, just waiting for the days to go by until I die. I don’t wanna live my remaining days like that. I have money. What is this for? My children have money, and they don’t need any money from me. Sometimes, they give me money so I can buy what I want. Clothes, shoes, material things don’t make me happy. I’m just contented with my old clothes and other stuff. What’s important, they’re all clean. What makes me happy now is keeping my sexual needs filled up. So whoever invented this orgasm in man’s life, it could be God or whoever, it’s the best thing we ever have.
So why deny it? It’s keeping me alive!”
Mike M. Luster 