It's January and time to go back to school. For some, that might be a gloomy prospect after the joys of the post Christmas festive period. For me, though, it's as exciting as a trip to Antarctica, also as scary as starting a job for which I'm not sure whether I'm qualified.
To be embarking on a master's degree in Psychotherapy and Counselling at Regent's University at 71 is perhaps an unlikely route for someone who dropped out of school at 17. But now I've come full circle to the conclusion that nothing, for me, feels more stimulating at this point in my life than learning new things. That studying, far from being the bore and the chore it used to be, is a treat.
Turning 70 came as something of a shock. I started to feel I was drifting. Without a big project, and without any major family responsibilities, I was starting to feel I was lying on a bed of thorns. Friends of similar age were lapping up their lives, socializing and travelling. However, I longed for something more. Or perhaps not more, but different.
As the gloom grew, I thought perhaps I needed to see a therapist. A friend, a psychotherapist, suggested that while therapy might be useful, doing a course on the basics of psychotherapy and counselling might be more up my street. Without too much thinking, I decided to give it a shot.
So that's how every weekday I beep（发出哔哔声） myself through the gate with my student pass, which makes me smile every time. I feel privileged to be exposed to a group of my fellow students who are willing to be open to me.
While ageing is an inevitable process, we can get rid of a lot of the rules about what's age-appropriate. Studying for a master's degree in old age is a challenge, but it has provided me with a new perspective on life. Hence, ageing should never limit your ambitions.
