June is going to be an emotional month…
I am the biggest cry baby ever. I cry over… everything! It’s like my tear ducts are just filled to the brim and they leak if I shake my head too much. Honestly, I’m really emotional. There are certain things that make me cry more than others. I am really sensitive when it comes to the elderly. I think part of the reason is because I’m an immigrant, and so I understand the disconnect and the lost sensation that an elderly person might have after living most of their life in a country that was completely different, only to come to a new country with certain hopes and expectations that might not ever be fulfilled. You know in the movie the Titanic, when the ship is sinking? I cry the most when they show the lower deck and they show the immigrants who couldn’t read English frantically trying to decipher a sign so that they can get out of the ship.
Seniors make me think about life in general… what I want to accomplish and what really matters. They’ve done it all.. they’ve loved, they’ve lost. I find that they have such a good grasp on things like money, and I am so humbled when I see the care with which they keep things. I just get so angry when I work, or I’m at a store, or on the skytrain, when I see older people not get the respect they deserve. If I’m not seated and I can’t give my seat up to a senior, I make sure they get a seat, even if I have to move somebody else. Courtesy seats are there for a reason!! You cannot sit on them if someone who fits the description needs it!
I work in a place that is sales oriented, and people who work there want commission and they often overlook customers that they think don’t have big buying potential and so seniors often get overlooked. One time, there was an elderly man, and it was snowing outside. He came in to get a webcam and no one was paying attention to him because they were all busy hunting for laptop sales. When I saw him I immediately went to help and he told me that he was standing there for so long and that no one was helping him because he wasn’t buying anything big. It just broke my heart because he was so old.. and another reason I was pissed off was because he had bussed to the store and it was SNOWING outside! I just wanted to find his son or daughter or grown up grandchildren and throttle them. Way to look after someone who has given you so much in life! Let them walk to a store in the snow. Goodness. I’m getting pissed off right now thinking about it. Anyway, at the time, I just went to the backroom and cried and cried. I couldn’t go on the floor for the longest time because.. I guess he reminded me of my grandfather in a way (he passed away on June 6th).
I feel like I’m rambling… I basically just wanted to say that… I really care about the elderly and I hate when people disrespect them, or .. ignore them.. or don’t look after them. Parent's give you so so so much in life and you should do everything in your power to take care of them as soon as you’re older and you have the ability to look after them.
I love love but at the same time it’s super scary because I can’t imagine losing your partner in life. I also can’t imagine being old and alone. (Biggest fear.. losing everyone.. being alone.. both common themes for seniors.. see the connection now??). I wouldn’t want to leave the house where all the memories were (I’m already super emo about the house that I grew up in… I just went by the other day and stood in front of it and cried). I’m going to stop now because I’m really sleepy and really teary.
