Osho,
Am I really getting old, because everyone is gossiping about it?

Devageet again! Just two days ago you had become old, and I had to take so much trouble to bring you back. And you slip again! One time is okay, but twice is too much – it is becoming really a serious problem.

And don’t listen to gossip; you are here to listen to the gospel!

But I have also heard the gossip that is making you worried. So first the gossip:

One day at the Pune drugstore, Milarepa, Sarjano and Devageet come in to buy some condoms. Milarepa goes first and says he would like a week’s supply, which is six. “Why only six?” asks the druggist.

“Well,” says Milarepa, “these days I like to have Sunday off.”

Next, Sarjano walks up and asks for eight condoms. “Eight?” says the druggist, “why eight?”

“Mama mia,” says Sarjano, “I-a always like-a to do it twice-a on Sundays.”

And last Devageet walks up and asks for twelve. The druggist, looking at his size and age, is astonished. “Twelve?” he says. “That is pretty impressive for a man of your age. But tell me, why twelve?”

Devageet replies, “January, February, March…”

That is the gossip that is going all around. And I have to suffer from all these gossips; now I have to bring Devageet back to his senses.

First thing: feel happy that you have friends. The old saying is:

…The person who does not gossip has no friends to speak of.

You have so many friends; everybody is gossiping about you. So it is not unfortunate – just for the gossip’s sake, just for the friends’ sake – if once in a while you become old.

But remember one thing:

…The only sure thing about youth is that it will change, and about old age, that it will never change.

Old age has something more than youth: it ends, but it never changes. People are too much worried about old age. Anybody can become old; only a great man can inquire about it. It needs some intelligence to inquire about it.

…Old age is when you have learnt to yawn with your mouth closed.

So let that be the criterion for the future. Don’t be bothered by any gossip.

…People who complain they don’t get all they deserve, don’t realize how old they are.