William Shakespeare wrote of the seven ages of man, starting with the puking infant and the whining school boy, through the lover, the soldier, the authority of the middle aged justice, then the slippered pantaloon, ending with the dependency of old age, sans teeth sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. But I find the categories or stages found in Hinduism more helpful and positive. It speaks of four ages, the student, the householder, the sage, the ascetic, with activity in the world dominating the first stages of life, then in later life, the wisdom of experience being shared with upcoming generation, and there's an increasing reflection upon ultimate truths of life and death.But what's significant for all of us in this understanding is that each stage of life has its own inherent importance and dignity. One is not more significant, productive or useful than another. Each stage matters because whether young, old or middle aged, each has something unique to offer. I suppose that that understanding undergirds the Christian social teaching of everyone contributing to the common good. So yes, let's have a dignity code for the elderly, and for the young, and for the middle aged. We all need it.
莎士比亚曾将人生分为7个阶段，婴儿期，叛逆学生期，恋人，战士，权威的中年法官，邋遢的老年期和耳重目盲无滋无味全无自理能力的晚年。但我觉得印度教划分的更积极，更有意义。它将人生分成四阶段，梵行期，家居期，林栖期，遁世期，开始两个阶段主要是完成家庭社会责任，后两个阶段则跟后辈分享经验智慧，与日俱增的是对生死真相的终极感悟。这种分法对我们意义深远，人生每个阶段都有其内涵和尊严，不存在哪个阶段比哪个阶段更有意义，更多产，更有用之说。年轻，年老或中年都有其特有的贡献，所以每个阶段都很重要。我想这种理解巩固了基督教教导世人向善的基调。所以，我们要敬老，要爱幼，要尊重中年人。人人都需要尊重。
