Living Simply for a Healthier Life

I put my phone down after he told us he was 84 years old.

I was genuinely shocked. It’s rare to meet someone that old who is still actively working. At first glance, i didn’t believe him because he didn’t look as old as i imagined someone his age would. But the longer I listened to him talk, I noticed subtle signs of aging, trembling slightly at times.

Our conversation didn’t last long because he had to get back to work. Still, from the short exchange, I learned meaningful lessons about how he has stayed healthy well into his eighties.

The first thing he said was “It’s not a big deal”. He told us he had never experienced dizziness or headaches and had never taken medicine for them. Did I believe him? Maybe. After all, he was still working as a well driller. He also shared that his daily meals mostly consist of tofu, tempeh, and vegetables, with meat only occasionally. He mentioned that his grandchildren rarely eat vegetables nowadays, preferring meat and chicken. He observed that people today often don’t consider a meal of rice and eggs as proper food. In his time, eating rice with chili sauce – nasi dicocol ke sambel –was more than enough.

He has lived in Jakarta for many years but occasionally returns to Solo, where his wife lives, for him, loyalty is the key. A long distance relationship has never been a problem. He gave us a pantun :

I was amazed, an 84 year old man who could still joke like that and make people laugh. He told us he tries to lighten the mood and make others happy. He said that his friends are often confused to see him still working, fit, not looking like a typical elderly man.

His children have suggested him to stop working, but he refuses. His prayer is simple :”I don’t want to be a burden to my children. As long as I can work, I will work.” And he added “Alhamdullillah, I am still given the strength”.

People from the older generation live life simply, they live it as it comes. They don’t overthink things that don’t need to be though about.

From our short conversation, I concluded that there are four keys to a long life: joy, gratitude for whatever food is available while prioritizing plant-based foods, not overthinking, and loyalty. Simple values, yet powerful.

This is to me what living simply for a healthier life truly means. No complicated rules, no trends, just a sincere, grounded way of living that many people today may have forgotten.