Ukukhula Okuhambisana Nokuqonda
INDABA yokuphila okungokoqobo yendoda ekhulile yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi eyabhekana nokuhlupheka nezinhlekelele eziningi iphetha ngesiqinisekiso sokuthi yafa ‘isindala seyanelisiwe yizinsuku.’ Yaphila yaze yafinyelela eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-140.—Jobe 42:16, 17.
Enye indoda, nayo eyayingeyaseMpumalanga Ephakathi, yakhula yaze yakhokhoba yafinyelela eminyakeni engu-175. Ukulandisa kubonisa ukuthi ‘yafa isigugile, seyanelisiwe yizinsuku.’ Yebo, kungenzeka ukuba abantu baphile ukuphila okwanelisayo ngisho naseminyakeni yabo yokuguga.—Genesise 25:7, 8.
Eminyakeni manje esingayibheka njengenkathi yokuguga kakhulu, enye yamadoda okukhulunywe ngawo ngenhla yazikhethela ukushiya ikhaya elinethezekile lasedolobheni, futhi ikanye nawo wonke umkhaya wayo, yathuthela ezweni elihlukile. Ingxenye yokuqala yalolohambo yahlanganisa amakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-970, futhi lokho kwenziwa ngaphandle kosizo lwezinto zokuthutha zosuku lwanamuhla. Lena enye indoda yahlushwa izinkinga ezinkulu kakhulu ezingokwempilo. Womabili lamadoda akhulisa imikhaya phakathi neminyaka yawo yokuguga.
Enye yalawomadoda yabona ingxenye yezwe eyayihlala kulo yenziwa incithakalo amabutho ahlangene amakhosi amane ahlaselayo. Kwadingeka ukuba iqoqe ibutho lamadoda angu-300 ukuze iwaxoshe futhi isindise isihlobo sayo esithandeka kakhulu. Kamuva, yabona imizi emibili echumile ibhujiswa isenzo sikaNkulunkulu. Kabili, yona kanye lendoda yathathelwa umkayo omuhle okwesikhashana amakhosi anamandla.
Womabili lamadoda akhulile—uJobe no-Abrahama—adlula ngokuphumelelayo ezenzakalweni ezinosizi kodwa aphila aze aba ‘madala futhi aneliswa.’ Yayiyini imfihlo yawo?
Izinkinga Zokuguga Zanamuhla
Ingabe izinkinga ezibhekene nabantu abadala namuhla zihluke kakhulu kangako kulezo abantu basendulo ababhekana nazo? Ingabe abanye abantu abagugile namuhla ababhekani nokuhlupheka kokulahlekelwa ingcebo noma ngisho nokulahlekelwa izindlela zokuziphilisa?
Abanye balahlekelwa amakhaya abo futhi kudingeke ukuba bathuthele ezindaweni ezingajwayelekile. Izihlobo zegazi, abangane, nabangane bomshado bayafa. Izinkinga zempilo ziyisici esiyinhloko okumelwe babhekane naso. Ngokudabukisayo, ezinye izingane ziyabalahla abazali bazo, ziyeke ukubanakekela futhi zibashiye ukuba bazibonele.
Akudingekile ukuba silandise ngokwengeziwe ngezinkinga ezinjalo, ngoba zivame kakhulu. Kodwa singafuna amakhambi ngokuhlakanipha.
Izimo Zengqondo Ezidingekayo Ngokuguga
Kungase kudingeke ukuba isimo sengqondo somuntu silungiswe; kungase kube yisona esiyimbangela yokungajabuli kwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye abantu abadala baphikelela ngokufuna ukuhlala bodwa nakuba lokhu kungaphezu kwamandla abo okuzinakekela. Owesifazane othile owayekhubazekile futhi ehlala yedwa endaweni enkulu wachoma uphawu emnyango wendlu yakhe olwaluthi: “Ungangeni!” Wayenomuzwa wokuthi okuwukuphela kwento noma ubani ayeyifuna imali noma impahla yakhe; wayengathembi muntu.
Umuntu onjalo akagugi enokuqonda. Yeka isimo esidabukisayo! Yiqiniso, akuwona wonke umuntu ongase athenjwe. Kodwa yeka ukuthi kuhlakaniphe kangakanani ukwamukela iqiniso lokuthi abanye bangathenjwa nokwamukela ubungane nosizo lwalabo abazama ngobuqotho ukuba wusizo!
Abanye abantu abakhulile bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi sebekufezile ukuphila kwabo. Kodwa basaphila futhi bayokuthola kuyinzuzo ukugcina izingqondo zabo zimatasa nokusebenzisa amakhono abo okucabanga ngokugcwele. Ukufunda izinto ezintsha akungaphezu kwamakhono abo futhi kungacebisa, nakuba kungase kubathathe isikhathi eside ukufunda kunokuba kwakunjalo lapho besebasha.
Ukuguga Kuyingqayizivele
Iziyalezo zasesikoleni esifundisa imisebenzi yezandla eziphathelene nezinkinga zabagugile zibonisa ukuthi asebekhulile badinga ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi banokuzimela kwengqondo nomzimba. Kumelwe futhi babe nomuzwa wokuthi bayathandwa futhi bayadingeka, ukuthi bawusizo futhi bangazenzela izinto. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lezoziyalezo zibonisa ukuthi asebekhulile badinga umuzwa wokuba ngowothile ongatholakala emkhayeni nasekubeni nabangane nokuthi bangazuza ekubeni nobudlelwane obungokwenkolo.
Khona-ke, yisiphi isimo sengqondo esingcono kakhulu abantu abagugile okufanele basibonakalise? Umbono wokulindela okuhle ungaba usizo lwangempela. Omunye owayebheka ukuguga njengenkathi entsha ekuphileni kwakuwumama oneminyaka engu-90 walowo owayengumongameli wase-U.S. Wabhala encwadini yakhe: “Akudingeki ukuba ukuguga kwesatshwe . . . Kungazuzisa futhi kwanelise . . . Izimfanelo zokuphila kwethu kwakamuva ziyonqunywa ukuphila esesikulolongile kakade.” Ukuba nombono onjalo kwenezela injongo eyengeziwe eminyakeni yakamuva yokuphila.
Ngakho, iziyalezo eziphawulwe ngaphambili ngokuphathelene nezinkinga zabakhulile zabonisa ukuthi abantu abadala abajabulayo yilabo abaye bakwazi ukuzifundisa ngokwenza izinto ezintsha ezithakazelisayo nezanelisayo, ukufunda nokuhlakulela imisebenzi yokuzilibazisa eyinselele, ukujabulela okuhlangenwe nakho okunenjongo nobungane, ukufunda ukwazisa ukuphila kanye nokuphila ngaphakathi kwemingcele yamakhono abo angokomzimba.
Kuthiwani ngokukhuthazelela izinkinga zokuphila ezingenakugwenywa? Incwadi ethi On Growing Old ithi: “Ngokuqinisekile akungabazeki ukuthi uma umuntu ekwazi ukufinyelela izindinganiso eziphakeme futhi ikakhulukazi amandla azuzwa okholweni uyokwazi kangcono ukukhuthazela . . . Ngaphezu kwakho konke abantu abadala kufanele bafune ukuqinisa izibopho zabo ezingokwenkolo.”
Abanye abantu babeka ukuphila kokuhlala bematasa emisebenzini emisha ngaphambi kwayo yonke enye into. Enye impunga eneminyaka engu-61 yayanelisa isifiso sayo esikhulu sokugibela izithuthuthu ezigijima kakhulu ngokuba yilungu leqembu labagibeli bezithuthuthu labantu abaneminyaka engaphezu kuka-40 kuphela. Yiqiniso, i-Phaphama! ayikutusi ukugibela izithuthuthu kwabantu asebekhulile!
Omunye umbhangqwana osukhulile unalesiqubulo: “Ungabi lusizi ngeminyaka yakho—futhi musa ukusongana lapho uthatha umhlala-phansi.” Ukuze uphile ngokwalesosiqubulo, washova amabhayisekili kusuka eLos Angeles kuya eNew York ngo-1980. Phakathi neminyaka emine ngemva kokuthatha kwawo umhlala-phansi ngo-1976, lendoda eyayineminyaka engu-69, nomkayo owayeneminyaka engu-64, bahamba ngamabhayisekili amakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-25 000 benqamula iCanada, i-United States, iNorway, iBelgium, iHolland, iJalimane, iFrance, neBrithani. Nalapha futhi asikutusi ukuba umuntu agcwalise ukuphila kwakhe ngokuphishekela izinto ezinjalo, njengoba lokho kungase kumnikeze isikhathi esincane noma kungamnikezi sikhathi sokufunda nokuhlanganyela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso kukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa lesibonelo siyabonisa ukuthi abanye abantu abadala banekhono elikhulu lokuphila okumatasa.
Umsebenzi ozuzisayo nokwenzela abanye izinto kungamsiza umuntu ukuba aguge ejabula. Iqembu lezingcweti zomsebenzi wezandla esezathatha umhlala-phansi, ezinye ezineminyaka engaphezu kuka-70, lathuthukisa amakhono alo ngokulungisa amakhaya abantu abathathé umhlala-phansi ngemali encane endaweni yaseGreater Vancouver, eCanada. Ngokuphathelene nomphumela lomsebenzi owaba nawo kulezingcweti ngokwazo, enye indoda yathi: “Kuyikhambi elihle. Kubagcina bematasa.” Umbiko wephephandaba wathi “abakhathele, bamane bathatha umhlala-phansi.” Lamadoda acabanga futhi ukuthi ukubukela i-TV konke ukuphila komuntu kungokwalabo abakhathele kakhulu kuphela.
Indima Yokwazisa
Ukwazisa ngokuphila nakho kufanele kucatshangelwe. Umkhulu ophapheme oneminyaka engu-87 waseBritish Columbia, eCanada, wabonisa ukwazisa okukhulu kokuba nje ngophilayo. Isisho sakhe sokuguga enokuqonda sasiwukuthi: “Gcina ingqondo iphapheme, futhi ugcine umbono wakho umusha. Ungakhathazeki ngosuku olulandelayo.” Eqinisweni akazange alungiselele ukuguga kusengaphambili kodwa wamane wazigcina ematasa ngaphandle enakekela izihlahla zakhe zezithelo. Ukuze azivumelanise nezimo zakhe ezishintshile, walondoloza isithakazelo esiphilayo kwabanye abantu futhi ngaso sonke isikhathi wenza umzamo wokuba azigcine enolwazi ngezindaba eziqhubekayo.
Ngisho nakuba isikhundla sabantu abakhulile sishintsha emkhayeni nasemphakathini, asikho isidingo sokuba baphelelwe yiso sonke isithakazelo ekuphileni noma bawele ekucindezelekeni okujulile okungokwengqondo. Uma abangane nezihlobo bewusizo ngalesikhathi, kungaba usizo kakhulu, ngoba ngalendlela abagugile bangahlanganyela okuhlangenwe nakho nezinjabulo zabo. Indoda esikhulile ehlala yodwa ekhaya layo eBritish Columbia yathi: “Uma abantu asebekhulile benganakwa imikhaya yabo, kunokuthambekela kokucabanga ngezikhathi ezidlule, futhi lokhu akukuhle.” Uyawazisa umkhaya wakhe osakazekile nokuxhumana kwawo naye. Wathi: “Ucingo luyithuluzi elimangalisayo labantu abakhulile.”
Enye indoda eyaphoqeleka ukuba isheshe ithathe umhlala-phansi ngenxa yezinkinga zenhliziyo ezingathi sína yaphawula ngengozi yokucabanga ngesikhathi esidlule. Ukuphila kwayo kwakuye kwaba matasa kakhulu, iqhuba ibhizinisi eliphumelelayo futhi ikhonza njengomdala omisiwe ebandleni loFakazi BakaJehova. Ingabe yaphila ngokuzisola ngenxa yemisebenzi eyayilahlekela? Ithi: “Cha, akunjalo. Nganelisekile ngokuthi ngenza konke okusemandleni. Ngabekela abanye isisekelo abangakhela kuso.”
Ngokwalokho ekushoyo, ubuhlobo balendoda namadodakazi ayo ashadile nemikhaya yawo buye baba “ukusondelana okuseduze kakhulu” njengoba iminyaka iqhubeka. Yona nomkayo bayabazisa abathandekayo babo futhi baye bafunda ukushiyela izinqumo zemikhaya yabantwana babo asebekhulile endaweni yazo—zenziwe yilabo bantu abadala. Ukwehluleka ukwenza kanjalo kwakuyobangela ukungezwani nokungajabuli kuphela, kanye nenkinga evamile nabasemzini nabasekhweni.
Yeka ukuthi ogogo nomkhulu baphuthelwa injabulo enkulu kangakanani uma indima yabo ingaziswa! Kodwa yeka ukuthi kuletha injabulo engakanani ukuzwa umzukulu, njengoba azwiwa yilomkhulu ngemva kwesikhathi eside esesibhedlela, ethi: “Bompa! Ubukuphi? Bese sikukhumbule!”
Ngenxa yokuthi ubugovu nokuntula uthando olungokwemvelo kudlange kangaka ezweni lanamuhla, akubona bonke abantu abagulayo nabagugile abathola ukusekelwa okungokomzwelo nokungokomzimba abakudinga kakhulu kangaka ukuze babhekane nezinkinga ngendlela enokuthula. Umqondisi wesikhungo somtholampilo saseCanada esinakekela izidingo zabasesimweni esibucayi noma abagugile walinganisela lesimo ngalendlela: “Iningi lalabantu abagugile lishiya ikhaya elihle ukuze lize lapha, lapho benombhede nekhabethe kuphela. Lapho behamba, ngemva kokufa, okuwukuphela kwento esalayo ibhokisi elincane elinayo yonke impahla yabo yezwe. Kungokuhlangenwe nakho okudabukisayo.” Nokho, ezimweni ezithile lezindawo zingase zibe ukuphela kwekhambi emikhayeni efuna ukuba abathandekayo bayo abakhulile banakekelwe.
Ukubhekana Nesikhathi Esizayo Ngokuqonda
Ngokwabanye ababikezeli, kuzofika isikhathi lapho kuzokwenziwa khona umuthi othile ozolwisana nokuguga, njengoba nje kuvinjelwa ezinye izinkinga ezingokwempilo namuhla. Kodwa ingabe izibikezelo ezinjalo zokuzikhohlisa zabantu abangaphelele zinikeza ithemba langempela, eliqinisayo kumuntu okuphila kwakhe kusondela ‘eminyakeni engamashumi ayisikhombisa’ noma ‘iminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili’?—IHubo 90:10.
Izinkulungwane zabantu abadala ziye zathola ithemba eliqinisayo eZwini likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. Manje zithembela ezithembisweni eziqinisekile ‘zomdala wezinsuku,’ uJehova uNkulunkulu. (Daniyeli 7:9, 13) Esinye isithembiso esinjalo siwukuthi inyama yomuntu omdala ‘iyakuba yintsha kuneyomntwana,’ futhi “abuyele emihleni yobusha bakhe.” (Jobe 33:25) Ngisho nalabo abalele ekufeni bayovukela ohlotsheni olunjalo lokuphila ezweni elisha lokulunga likaNkulunkulu, ngokushesha elizongena esikhundleni salesimiso sezinto samanje esinganelisi. (IzEnzo 24:15; 2 Petru 3:13) Kwakuyilelithemba elizwakalayo elenza ukuba u-Abrahama noJobe baphile ukuphila kwabo baze babe ‘badala futhi baneliseke.’
Ngempela, namuhla ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso ezinjalo ezanelisa inhliziyo kufana nokubekelela ingcebo yesikhathi esizayo. Futhi, ngokuba nomkhaya nabangane abasekelayo nemisebenzi efanele, umuntu omdala angachuma. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ubuhlobo obuseduze naLowo oye wathembisa ukukhululeka ekugugeni nokufa benza kube nokwenzeka ukuguga ngokuqonda. Ngempela, labo abamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu “nasebudaleni bayakuthela izithelo.”—IHubo 92:14.