Congratulations on being fat and old....

As we in the west bemoan our wrinkles and spreading flesh, it's good to know there places where they are considered to be a Very Good Thing. So in Sri Lanka, a greeting along the lines of "My, haven't you put on weight" is received with great satisfaction as it it means "You are doing well for yourself". And at New Year, my (youthful) Sinhala teacher presented me with a T-shirt (size 8 - she obviously thought I was going downhill fast!), saying " It is our tradition to give clothes to elderly people at this time of year". By this of course she meant people of maturity and wisdom, worthy of great respect...didn't she??