Ungakugwema Yini Ukuguga?

“Siphila iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa kuphela—engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili, uma sinamandla; . . . ngokushesha siyafa, singabe sisaba khona.”—IHUBO 90:10, TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION.

AKE ucabange nje usujabulela ubungqabavu njalo. Cabanga nje ngobungqabavu nengqondo engawohloki, ehlala iphilé saka futhi ikhaliphile. Ingabe lelo themba elijabulisayo lizwakala njengephupho kuwe? Uma kunjalo, cabanga ngaleli qiniso eliyimpicabadala: Nakuba izinhlobo ezithile zopholi zingase ziphile iminyaka eyikhulu, amagundane kuyaqabukela ephile iminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu. Ukuhlukahluka okunjalo kwesikhathi sokuphila kuye kwenza ezinye izazi zezinto eziphilayo zaphetha ngelithi kumelwe ukuba kunokuthile okubangela ukuguga, futhi uma lokhu kuyiqiniso, kungenzeka likhona nekhambi.

Izinkampani ezithaka imithi ziye zatshala izindodla zezimali emsebenzini wososayensi wokufuna ikhambi eliphumelelayo lokuguga. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kubantu abazalwa ngemva kwempi yezwe yesibili futhi manje asebevile eminyakeni engu-60 ubudala, ukuthola indlela yokuhlehlisa ukuguga sekuyiyona nto eyinhloko abakhathazeka ngayo.

Ukucwaninga ngokuguga kuye kwaba nayinto eyinhloko ezazini eziningi ezicwaninga ngezici zofuzo, ngamangqamuzana ezinto eziphilayo, ngokuphila kwezilwane kanye nokuguga. Incwadi ethi Why We Age kaSteven Austad, ithi: “Manje sekuba khona umoya wenjabulo ecindezelwe lapho izazi zokuguga zihlangana. Akusekude ukuba sikuqonde ngokuphelele.”

Kunentilibathwa yemibono ngokuguga. Omunye umbono uthi ukuguga kubangelwa ukuwohloka kwamangqamuzana; kanti omunye uthi ukuguga kuyinqubo ehlelwe kusengaphambili. Abanye bathi impendulo ihilela le mibono yomibili. Sikuqonda kahle kangakanani ukuguga? Ingabe sikhona isizathu sokulindela ikhambi eliphumelelayo lokukuqeda?

[Ishadi/Izithombe ekhasini 2, 3]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

ISILINGANISO SOBUDE BOKUPHILA

Inyosi

Izinsuku ezingu-90

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Igundane

Iminyaka emithathu

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Inja

Iminyaka engu-15

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Inkawu

Iminyaka engu-30

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I-alligator

Iminyaka engu-50

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Indlovu

Iminyaka engu-70

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Umuntu

Iminyaka engu-80

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Upholi

Iminyaka eyikhulu

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Ufudu

Iminyaka engu-150

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Isihlahla esikhulu se-sequoia

Iminyaka engu-3 000

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Isihlahla sikaphayini i-bristlecone

Iminyaka engu-4 700

[Isithombe ekhasini 3]

Ezinye izinhlobo zopholi zingaphila iminyaka eyikhulu, kodwa abantu baphila iminyaka engaba ngu-80. Abacwaningi bayabuza: “Ukuguga kubangelwa yini?”