Embracing ‘second childhood’: Senior citizens' collective ‘Adam and Eve’ completes 28 years

Pathanamthitta: Every Tuesday, between 4:00 and 5:30 in the evening, they come together to carve out a little slice of paradise filled with fun, games, and hearty laughter. This is ‘Adam and Eve’—a collective born out of a desire to celebrate one’s golden years, or 'second childhood,' free from boredom and loneliness.

Founded to bring joy to those battling the isolation that often accompanies old age, the group turns 28 this month. It was in October 1998 that the Kaipattoor Senior Citizens Forum, under the aegis of the St Ignatius Orthodox Cathedral, first brought the elderly together. What started as an intimate gathering of 60 has blossomed into a thriving community of over 300 members today, with more than 70 regulars attending every single week.

“Just like in a family where you can immediately tell if someone is feeling down, it’s the same with us,” says the organization's vice president, Col V K Mathew (Retd.), a native of Kaipattoor. The bond they share goes beyond weekly meet-ups. For foundational members like C T Koshy and T G George, who are now well over 97, members drop by their homes just to sit with them and listen to tales of yesteryears.

The collective's compassion reaches out to the wider community as well. They extend financial aid to the needy, build homes for the destitute, and sponsor meals - all funded entirely through contributions from their own pockets. The forum brings together men and women from diverse professional backgrounds, all united after retiring past the age of sixty.

The gatherings help rejuvenate members both physically and mentally, keeping them active and young at heart. The fellowship also organises two leisure trips each year. Last year, the group travelled to Lakshadweep, where even members aged 80 enthusiastically took part in scuba-diving activities. The group is now preparing for its next trip abroad.