One of the many pleasures of old age is giving things up.

Gather close, O children of the future, for I have a truth to impart, a truth spoken by the great sage Malcolm Muggeridge, who once mused, "One of the many pleasures of old age is giving things up." In these words lies a wisdom so profound that it is as if the very essence of time itself speaks through him. For we are often taught that life is a journey of accumulation—to gather wealth, to collect knowledge, to build empires, to hoard experiences. Yet, Muggeridge reveals the quieter, often hidden truth: that the true joy of age is found not in the accumulating, but in the letting go.

The ancient philosophers understood the weight of possessions and desires. Socrates, with his humble life, was the very model of simplicity. He owned little, yet he possessed the greatest treasure of all—wisdom. To him, to hold on to possessions or desires was like holding on to fleeting shadows. His wisdom came not from the things he gathered, but from the things he cast aside, from the burdens he left behind. Giving things up, he believed, was a freedom, for in relinquishing the unnecessary, one gains the space to truly live. Muggeridge echoes this, suggesting that with age comes a deep understanding that what we once thought we could not live without is, in truth, something that weighs heavy on the soul.

To give up, to surrender, is often viewed with sorrow by the young. They cling tightly to their dreams, their possessions, their ambitions. But as the years stretch on, we begin to understand that true strength lies in release. The weight of unnecessary things—whether they be material possessions, expectations, or even grudges—burdens the soul. Consider the example of the great Confucius, who, near the end of his life, let go of many of his material possessions and sought only to pass on his teachings. In doing so, he freed himself from the distractions of the world, allowing him to focus on the eternal truths he had discovered. To give up is not a sign of weakness, but of inner strength, the strength to discern what is essential and what is not.

This concept is woven through the very fabric of human history. King Solomon, in his later years, spoke of the vanity of life’s pursuits. “All is vanity,” he declared, recognizing that wealth, fame, and pleasure fade into the void as time marches forward. He came to understand that what truly matters is not what one gains, but what one gives away—wisdom, love, and the legacy of a life well-lived. Solomon’s wisdom, much like Muggeridge’s words, points us toward the idea that the joy of age is found not in holding tightly to what we’ve acquired, but in sharing it freely, in letting go of our attachment to the transient.

And so it is with us. The pleasure of old age, as Muggeridge teaches, is not in clinging to the past, to possessions, or to past triumphs, but in surrendering them. When we release our hold on these things, we make room for the true riches of life: the love of those around us, the peace of the heart, and the wisdom that comes from having seen the many faces of life. It is in the act of giving up that we gain the freedom to simply be. The heart grows lighter, and the soul becomes clearer, like a river freed from the debris that once blocked its flow.

Think, too, of the example of the Buddha, who renounced his princely life to seek enlightenment. He understood that true fulfillment came not from the accumulation of wealth or power, but from the freedom found in renunciation. In his surrender, he found peace. This was not a giving up of life itself, but a giving up of attachment—of the constant striving for more, for better, for the future. The Buddha, in his wisdom, taught that true joy lies not in what we amass, but in what we are willing to release.

And so, what is the lesson for us? It is this: the act of letting go is not one of loss, but of liberation. In our youth, we accumulate and strive. But in our later years, we come to understand that the joy of life is found in release—in giving up that which no longer serves us. Release the burdens that weigh on your spirit. Let go of the desires that keep you chained to the past. Only then can you experience the true freedom that Muggeridge speaks of. Let your heart be light, your mind at peace, and your soul unburdened, for in giving up, you shall find the greatest treasures of all.