The first two paragraph of this post was taken from an article written for seniorservices.co.za. The rest is a re-post of mine. I find it so very sad to see the elderly mistreated. I love old people and yes I understand not all Pops Or Moms are the sweet little things that we think they are supposed to be. There are many personalities placed here on earth to live together we all could not be the same. However we must not remove from our minds that the elderly needs our strength in order to continue living out their lives. We should respect them, be patient with them, assist them in what ever way we can. We must love and cherish them. They cared for us when we needed the care let us always remember that it is our duty to do the same for them. I honor all the elders in my life..nuff love and respect!!
In the Asian society, the elderly are respected and looked up to. Unfortunately, in our society this is not always true. Older people in our society are sometimes viewed as a nuisance and not valued for the wonderful people they are. The medical community can be very harsh on the elderly by using the justification that they have already lived their lives. They tend to ignore conditions that would never be ignored on a younger person. My mother would not have lived to eighty-nine without my intervention. There seems to be a misnomer in society that older people are useless and have nothing to contribute
Seniors are sometimes told that they are useless or just simply ignored. They are people with feelings that are a bit older and would like to enjoy the same respect and joy that a younger person enjoys. You see the elderly working at the Wal-Mart doors. They also work with the county to use their skills and knowledge to help the people who are starting out in business. They are the volunteers at hospitals (pink ladies). They man many of the soup kitchens and are an asset to our community. They are the Grand Mothers and Grand Fathers of our children. These people are our Mothers and Fathers, and they deserve our love and respect. They are the people who know how to get things done. We owe a lot of our successes in life to our seniors.
They are the ones that have gone before us to show us the way, (From senior service.co)
It is Important for us to realize the Importance of an Elder, they are deserving of respect and honor. Respect is due to all and that is what we were taught as children growing up, where ever you grew up. If you were not taught this at home by your parents, then the school would have filled you in. Age is honor and for a person to be blessed with long life, it is something wonderful. In Africa when an elder is praying for you the first words that are uttered are “May you have Long Life” and then Health, and prosperity will follow. I have seen this new generation of people across the world, disrespect their elders often, although I must say I have never seen it in Africa, It is Our Elders that we learn from, the ones who pass down oral tradition, they must be revered! Growing up in Jamaica, when our neighbor Miss Will would make trouble, when she and my mother would argue, being very protective of my mother, I would try to join with my mom to curse Miss Will. As soon as my mother heard me she would slap me and tell me to shut up, this was between big people. Afterwards she would lecture me, telling me that Miss Will was a grown woman and I should never disrespect her, If I see her carrying bags I should offer to help her or if she falls and I am around I should not walk away, rather I should help her, the only caution she gave me was if she offered me food, drinks, or candy I should refuse, but do so politely. In the traditional practice of IFA/ORISHA, it is not only important that we honor our elders by theirs physical age, but also by theirs spiritual age too, the wealth of spiritual knowledge that they possess and how long have they been initiates. When I travel to Ogun State, Nigeria and I go on my God Fathers compound, Olowu Okegbemi, I immediately drop to my knees, and grasp his right leg, and greet him while he prays for me. Parents we must instill this in our children, they do not say, Miss this or Mr. that any more. No Good morning, evening or night when ever they call or come around!! why? Where are the Please and the thank you. Gone are the days when youngsters did not curse in front of the elders. Shame!! What has the world come to, then is it any wonder that nature is turning against human being. There is a quote by Jame Baldwin that says;
“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they never fail to imitate them”
I came to America when I was very young before way before my teenage years, but I was taught respect for elders and I do..very much!!
Can I tell you!! One of my biggest pet peeves! I’m a late 80’s Gen-Y and I can safely say that most persons born after 1990 are a bit lost. I say this because Elders are not held in high regard like how they used to be. Why do you think that is? Media and social media are raising our children. Like you Obara, I spent my crucial years in Jamaica and then the later part in North America. At first, I thought it was a cultural thing. Younger persons would pass elders on the road, no Good evening no… Read more »
I live in Florida and it pack up with elders. Some of them will try you patience, they have no manners. Others are sweet that you would take home. Most are here without family and so are depressed. They are abused, robbed and preyed upon here. It is sad to see how they are treated here, most are parked in nursing homes and cared for by a strangers.
That really hurts me. I loved my Grandmother to death!!! She plays a huge part in who I am today. People forget, once a man twice a boy. It soon lick dem though.
Me and you both. My grandmother died when I was 7, but I still remember and love her. I can even remember her scent. She helped to mold me into who I am today and am grateful for her.
Some ah dem bad man but Mek sem sin not us
Reblogged this on Embracing Spirituality and commented:
I saw this today while going through my blog and read it and thought to myself, this was a good one, an important one, and so I have decided to re-post. A quote from Bernard Lagat says “You seek help from the elders. A society with elders is healthy. It’s not always that way in the West.” We know that while some elders were young they were not always good, but we ought not to concern ourselves with that, we should concern ourselves with what is right. Respect the elders!
a true mainy
bwoy mi ah tell yuh…an moas ah dem very grateful wen yuh help dem…..di one dem ah Jamaica always ah tell yuh ‘God Bless yuh mi darling, an tenk yuh yuh hear’
dem nice enuh.. mi lub d feisty one dem
But fi real GG, mi like tawk to older ppl…..dem wise an some ah dem really kool an dung to earth
Yuh noe di one dem whey mi use to like heng out wid….di one dem whey use to come ah mi madda bar….ah dem sey joke
Ah dat mi waan noe to GG. Guess shi bizi…Mussi hav client or sum’n
mi is hear mainy weh mumma deh
GG wat ah gwaaannnnn?
Maaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnninnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn mi latttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Mawninggggggg
Virgin, GG, Sharlene, Opti, Obara, everybody
Maniac Present!!!
Only in the West we see this kind of disrespect to the elders. In the traditonal people the elders are treated with a certain degree of reverece. Obara your stories of growing up in Jamaica always make me feel connected you. It would have happened to me, if I tried to do the same thing with two adults, I would get slap across the head. Nowadays they treat elders very badly, its a shame!!!
Jeezam peeze…..Obara yuh noe yuh mad doe!!! Fi real some ah dem nuh eazy atall, an wen dem gwaan wid dem antics, chue dem owl, ppl tek up fi dem an mek it look like ah you ah di bad apple.
Lol GG mi noe yuh enuh…..po granny lol ….gudda repeat 10 hail Mary wen yuh done wid har
mainy one day mi deh a d stop lite a wait fi it guh pon read suh mi can cross.. n e way d green walking man come up suh mi kno seh a time mi cross.. dis lil ole ooman wen deh deh too suh mi walk pass her mi baily bunx d ooman mi turn to her n seh sorry now dis ooman ready fi tek mi on nuh ask if mi neba dip up under her n walk weh enuh.. suhpo uno see d ooman too..barely can walk to rass
maniac dwl dwl dwl yuh mad enuh!1 tegareg granny!! yuh nuh si sey me write sey anuh all ah dem ah de sweet mom and pops whey we tink, mi know a few jezebel!! one duppy looking one did tink sey mi as saps an did waan tek set pon me as mi neighba and all ah tell bout har prisona son soon come fix mi bizniss, all caws mi throw whey one backle inna har garbage pan..mi jus bruck up some whole heap a cream soda one mawnin like mi mad ah har gate wid mi head tie up… Read more »
Tell mi yuh tory deh GG, caw mi noe yuh hab nuff 🙂
Obara mi respect mi elders enuh but some a dem tink cawz dem ole dem have alrite fi disrespect others and dont get back d same treatment.. more time mi ignore dem but anuh all d time mi do it cawz some a dem rass feisty
MAINY MI SISTA MI DEH YAH MI HUNI
GG mi sista-in-law, where art thou?
Obara, mi respek mi elders enuh…..but mi muss admit sey some ah dem tormenting badddddd……dem believe sey chue dem older, dem muss sey ennyting an disrespek yung ppl sometime…..Ef mi si dem pon bus, inna line, pon di road etc. as long as mi nuh sick (mi hab one kandishan suh sumtime mi cyaan really git up gi dem seat an ting) mi try mi bess help dem out…..mi wii all falla dem goh bus stop, wait wid dem an ting… Mi memba one time wen mi deh JA, mi teef whey goh pon di road goh buy gas caw… Read more »