Life Should #8

Respect the Elderly

They were us once; and we will be them soon

This came to mind after observing such blatant disrespect for an elderly person that I could not keep my mouth shut thereby causing an unpleasant confrontation in my local grocery store.  Here’s what happened:  

A woman, we’ll call her “Mrs. Hubris”, while on her phone was moving through aisles at quite a clip.  As I am in the diary aisle perusing the yogurt choices (trying to ignore her loud cell phone voice), Mrs. Hubris pushed by, and by pushed by I mean physically barged through the aisle slightly shoving an elderly woman next to me and reaching right in front of my face to grab her yogurt.  She then pushed by the elderly woman again on the way back while sighing loudly with annoyance that the elderly woman had unwittingly moved into her direct path.  I was dumbfounded!  I could not let this general rudeness and disregard of an elderly person go by without saying something. So I did, and as you can imagine it was not meet with an open mind.  Yet, I like to think that after reminding her that she was not the only person in the store juggling work, kids, life, that she was one of many, and that her world was by no means more important than anyone else’s in the store, let alone the elderly woman, a woman who may have spent her own life working, raising children, and facing any number of challenges we will never know, Mrs. Hubris was somewhat chagrined.  She gave pause for at least a few seconds, before getting back on her cell phone.

This is important because I believe we tend to forget we will be elderly ourselves in the not too distant future.  And the elderly have lived tremendous lives.  They have experienced all we have, lived through untold challenges and often thrived.  Why is it we believe they no longer have value to add?  They in fact have wisdom and reflection, things we strive for each day. I can only imagine how the elderly woman in the grocery store felt that day.  Ignored? Irrelevant? Vulnerable?  No one deserves this kind of treatment. I know I never want to be on the receiving end of this kind of behavior, ever.  I suppose, at the very least, if we cannot see the value in being respectful and considerate to the elderly of our own volition, maybe the hope of being treated decently when we are older will keep us in check?

My goodness, this topic gets me so upset.

[Thought to be considered with a Spritz Cookie – it should bring good feelings to all ages.]