Opinion: Do people have a 'use by date'?

Te Maori columnist and chairman of Te Tatau o Te Arawa, Rotorua Lakes Council partnership, Te Taru White. Photo/File

Tena koutou katoa
Ra tu katoa te mea, he ra pai!

"Every day upright is a good day" - something Ngati Whakaue elder Pihopa Kingi would say when I asked how he was feeling.

It was a reminder of how fragile life is and how we should value each day as though it will be our last.

Value your whanau, nurture the young and cherish your elders.

There have been many tangihanga over recent times with the loss of influential leaders and whanau members.

We seem to be in a constant state of mourning.

It is difficult to find happiness in this space but on a positive note it is a time when whanau grieve together, give comfort, and reconnect with who they are.

However it is sad that it takes death to unite us but in life we are challenged to maintain that same unity.

Perhaps we are just too busy trying to live in a world that struggles to recognise the value of people – "he aha te mea nui o te ao, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata" or are we simply making excuses for our own shortcomings.

Some say "too busy is a myth – people make time for the things that are really important to them".

Surely the value of whanau is really important and in truth I am sometimes guilty of being "too busy".

I have worked most of my life and supporting my whanau has been an important part of that journey.

However these days are becoming increasingly shorter as I watch my parents' generation pass on and my time in the ageing hot seat bringing with it an increased sense of vulnerability.

Is it time to retire, make way for the next generation? Have I passed my "use by" date? Is it time to practise what I preach and spend more time with whanau?

The answer is probably yes to most of these questions and in my generation I am not alone.

My response however is "have I made a difference and can I continue to make a difference?"

"Use by date" is a harsh term and retirement is an option when I can no longer make a difference.

I absolutely support a succession plan for my whanau and the next generation coming through but maintaining a sense of purpose for me defines the difference between life and death.

Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora!

Te Taru is from Te Arawa, Tainui and Ngati Porou descent and is the chairman of Te Tatau o Te Arawa, Rotorua Lakes Council partnership. His website is http://tetaruwhite.com.