Place: home
Poison: Egyptian rice pudding
Favourite things: a quiet house
The last two days we have had strange but sad encounters with elderly people.
Yesterday we were driving to have dinner with our friends and out of the corner of my eye I saw a person lying on a side street road as we passed.
I asked Charl to stop and return to check they were okay.
We found a very elderly lady who had tripped badly down the curb and was in immense pain on the road.
An ambulance was called, a doctor stopped as he drove past and humanity gathered to help this nameless senior citizen.
I was proud of the neighborhood and their growing response and love but was deeply moved by the pain of this dear old lady.
Then this morning as I spoke at a church a dear old man caught my eye. He smiled richly as I spoke and made my heart feel safe.
Then after the service had finished I walked into the foyer and saw this dear man had fallen from his wheelchair and cracked his head outside the church.
My heart sank.
I was reminded about how fragile yet how deeply precious our senior citizens are.
One of the greatest times in my week is when I spend time with my 88 year old Granma. Her squeals of delight as she bounces my son, her cheeky grin as I tease, her pearls of wisdom that I crave.
Our elderly in our community are deep caverns of wisdom yet how often they are ignored and dismissed.
How I wish I could yell from the rooftops the lessons they have not only learnt but survived.
My Granma was in the army for a season of terrible armed conflict, she survived seasons of terrible drought and depression, she survived on a farm that was plagued by progress, she has endured the technological age and thrived.
Dont forget those who have gone before us.
I believe the lessons they have paved provide perspective to keep us safe.
Sit and have a cuppa with someone over 70 soon. I promise you won’t regret it.
A
