… that you’re wise?
… that you’re out of date?
… that you’re dependent?
… that you’ve learned and discovered your place in the world?
… that you’re not listenned?
Everytime I’m on this particular city working, I notice a building that is right in front of me across the street. It is probably the oldest building on the whole street… and it is abandoned.
{wouldn’t it be fabulous to own a penthouse here?!}
Once I was taking a walk on this street… and again this building came across my path. And suddenly my thought was driven to another subject – being old.
As for this building being old could mean being unique on this street, imponent, fabulously restored, highly priced, and with an amazing book of stories to tell. However… the reality is that this building is abandoned in one of the most known streets in this city, with broken windows, pigeons all over the balconies and just there… witnessing all that is around, but with no one to cherish it, nor finding its stories.
And what about the old people…? Can we compare them to this building? If we think about it, actually we do… it is sad, but true… sadly true. Old people are often seen as dependent, outdated, obsolete… we often hear stories of elderly people that don’t see their family for years, don’t know where their sons are… don’t have any support whatsoever, live in their homes… abandoned to their misfortune. And to think that these people were at some point young, with dreams, challenges to face, disappointments, love stories… that lived their adventures, found their path… discovered parenthood, feeded and dressed their children, taught them how to face the world… and now they live their lives alone and abandoned, it is absolutely violent.
Will we become these elderly of today at some point in our lives?
Shouldn’t the elderly be the ones to be listened? Don’t they have some answers we are looking for? Don’t they have something (or a lot of things) to teach us? Shouldn’t we learn something from their experience?
One thing is true, they lived in a different era. And we accept that, but does life experience has an expiration date?
I would like to leave a thought by Susan Sutherland Airone…
“Approximately one quarter of the lives of Americans are spent growing up, while the other three quarters are spent growing old, yet our society is obsessed with youth while steadfastly denying old age. Our society has become quite openminded about many former touchy topics, such as, sex, politics, religion, divorce, abortion, violence, but we revert to an ostrichlike attitude about aging and death, as if by not acknowledging these topics, they will simply disappear. I feel the need for adolescents to be more aware of, sensitive to, and understanding of the older generation, because adolescents, like us all, will someday be the older generation and even before that, they will be responsible for caring for an older generation.”
{Take care of your elderly next to you. Teach the youngsters to respect the elderly.}
ivy style33 says
My dear Twiggs this is a lovely post and I feel like hugging you tight!
This time it is you who has read my mind as some weeks ago, after visiting my partner's father who lives with his younger son, but without a wife, as she has already passed away, pretty young and beautiful some 12 years ago, this subject was wondering in my mind, but never actually wrote about it.
It's nice that you do…I'll share my thoughts and considerations on the subject on a different point in time, as I find your post to awake enough of awareness for the time being.
It's lovely to be with old people and it is remarkable how much joy they find in being with the younger generation…..always eager to listen to our thoughts and stories, but also eager to narrate theirs.
Respecting humans presupposes that we respect all forms of individuals, in all possible given ages.
...a place for twiggs. says
Ivy… dear,
This is wonderful to read. I'm so glad that I also was able to read your thoughts…
I'll be looking forward for your post about this subject, because asides being a sensitive one, I always love to read your words (much more eloquent than mine…)
Have a great evening, my friend!
See you soon! Going over your blog now!
madhu says
Always find that you express what I feel………
...a place for twiggs. says
:) :) You just gave me an excellent idea dear! I'll let you know in a few days!!!