The older people get, the less intelligent society deems them to be. The disdain in some of elderly interactions with friends or family members is scary considering we are all on the same path and are likely to face similar predicaments.
I witnessed a daughter chastise her mother for simply attempting to give an opinion on a crucial family matter. She told the mother to simply shut up as her input is “always the same and unintelligent.” Of course, the mother’s pain and embarrassment was evident on the mother’s face. No one intervened and I equally hurt.
Other situations appear protective to the elderly; such as preventing them from using the stairs even when an individual is capable, driving, cooking, travelling or interacting with friends. Their arguments vary from concern they may fall, forget their way back home, catch some form of disease or mess things up. These remarks and overprotection are debilitating. They gradually isolate people as they age, causing loneliness and the very diseases many try to avert. Allow people to do tasks or interactions they are capable of. After all, the body speaks for itself.
Aging should not be the reason society, especially those close to the elderly, tries to experiment with knowledge they read or hear about. It is not a time to be treated like fools or maniacs whose existence is burdensome or a liability. Many of these courageous and strong men and women made significant contributions to the very societies turning on them at a time they need mankind the most. They shouldn’t, all of a sudden, become second class citizens on the assumptions their brains are retired and murky. Indeed, people age differently and it is not unusual to see some mental lapses here and there, but that does not give us the right to ill-treat or relegate them to backsets in the various life events.
Their wisdom remains invaluable. Their presence is a source of pride to generations and symbol of perseverance. They ought to be revered as the jewels they are, especially for those special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries birthdays, prayers and births. Imagine a world dominated by they know-it-all youngsters, leading and guiding each other. They are turmoil on their own and that is why we need the grey haired for sanity. It’s absurd to assume grey hairs are a source of calamity when it essence, their absence is double or triple such calamities.
This admonishing of the elderly has to stop. Hunting them down and blaming them for the younger generations failures has to be uprooted from our midst. They cannot be the very fools who raised us to where we are and then disposed of like garbage simply because they are retired and may require a piece of our earnings. Many are doing much better than some in their hay days, the vagabonds that want to live off the retired and even manipulate them while at it. Clearly, I will be a very stubborn granny and will not be stopped easily. I shall stand for my retired rights!
