I'm 60 years old and I'm finding it hard to deal with. What should I do?

[Answered on Quora.com by Komal Kapur]

My father retired at the age of 59 with nothing much to do. To keep himself engaged, he started helping my mother in the kitchen and running errands like buying groceries. One day, he met a Guru who taught classical music. He came home excited, reminding my mother of his love for singing and how he had always wanted to learn classical music. That very day, both my parents decided that he would pursue his passion.

You won’t believe it — he woke up every morning at 4:30 a.m. to practice ragas with immense dedication. Over the years, he mastered the harmonium, tabla, and various ragas. By the time he turned 65, he had established his own institute to teach classical music, where he trained 200 students. His hard work and determination were truly remarkable. At the age of 70, he even completed his Ph.D. in music, proving that passion has no age limit. I am so incredibly proud of him.

After he passed away, my mother found herself completely alone. She didn’t know how to fill her time, but instead of succumbing to loneliness, she rediscovered her own talent. She had always been gifted in drawing and painting, so she started teaching children — finding joy in sharing her skills. Alongside this, she kept herself engaged by reading the newspaper, chatting with friends, and even experimenting with different cake recipes.

From my parents, I have learned a powerful lesson — everything is in the mind. If you truly want to stay occupied and live with purpose, you can. But if you allow yourself to feel lonely and lost, life can become stagnant. Their journey is a true inspiration, proving that passion and learning never have an expiration date.