When I first discovered this topic, I figured it might not be for a 28 year old man. I have discovered, however, that my stories can count as well. I would like to share with you senior citizens from a young person’s perspective.
Senior Citizens make up every facet of my life. I work with them. They are in my family. They are my neighbors and some of my good friends. A lot of people my age plainly dismiss anyone over 50 as “the crazy driver who doesn’t deserve their license”, or “That old bean who slows down the line at the grocery stores”, or “The hosts of the 6 A.M. retirement party at the Country Kitchen Buffet”. That, my friends, is complete ignorance.
When I took on my current job, I felt like it was my responsibility to see to it that the so called “little ones” were not ever mistreated and shunned. I decided to look for and hire people who had long before retired from their careers and help them. And what I have seen in the few years since I started doing this is phenomenal.
I keep asking some of them once in awhile how they can manage to stand people for six hours a day. They gave me some very great examples. For instance:
– I did not know this, but one lady wrote poems about her grandchildren during our idle moments. She even did a lot of drawings. When I asked about them she mentioned she puts the sketches on poster board. I have since set her up with a friend of mine who is an art dealer who is advising her.
– Some bring crossword puzzles with them to work and work on them while they are not busy. Technically, this is not permitted, but I do not mind J.
– During idle periods I notice some of my staff doing a form of workout. Some do stand-up push ups using walls, some walk up and down aisles, some stretch.
– Some dog sit during off days. I hired my neighbor and during off days I notice ten dogs at a time in the backyard getting the best in love and attention by a wonderful lady.
These are merely examples. A lot of people have different ideas on how to keep themselves sharp as they build their ages.
Before I conclude I would like to introduce to the world my grandmother. In just a few weeks, she will turn 72 years old. Like many other parents, she was just as happy as anyone else to see my aunt Tammy leave the house as the final one to turn 18. Thirteen years later, fate would take a very devastating blow. On February 26, 1999, a drunk driver took Tammy and her son away from us. My grandmother, 58 at the time, now inherited the task of raising Tammy’s two surviving children, 14 year old Alicia and 7 year old Matthew. Three months later, without any of us knowing, Alicia gave birth, and now my grandmother could add “great” to her role. Things happened, and Grandma now helps to raise little Sarah.
I dare say that despite the stress that teenagers can provide, my grandmother holds up as a parent better than any parent of any age that I know of… besides my own mother of course.
