A Happy Golden Old Age

love is all you have to give

I bumped into an old man a couple of times while I was rushing to work. He was walking alone with his walking stick. He blocked my way for a few times with his slow walking pace. I was so mad at him because he was making me late for work again. Until yesterday, when I was getting into my car, he was standing behind of me. Instead of saying hi and giving a smile, I gave him that "get the hell out of my way" kind of angry face but he came closer to approach me.
"Good morning young man." He said.
I knocked my head without looking at him.
"Can you give me a ride?"
No. I answered without any hesitation.
"I am so exhausted and my leg is suffering in pain," with a courtesy smile on his face.
His words paused me. I got down from my car just to make sure he was alright. I looked into his eye while I was talking to him. I noticed that he had cataract in his left eye, which is a cloudy of the lens in the eye. His hair was a bit untidy and taking each step uneasily. I let him sit at the back while I was sending him home. It was a bit hard for him to get down the car as my car is quite low. Eventually I was late for work but I felt good because I didn't know I would feel fulfilled by doing such a simple action. I remember Pope Francis says "a faith without action is dead." But when I was rushing I tend to forget all these words and teachings. Actually I suspect this old man purposely waited me there, he even told me my brother sent him back before. For my point of view maybe he wants people to acknowledge him. I was thinking am I too stingy on my acknowledgement? If a simple acknowledgement can make their day why I refuse to give? I start to reflect on these old people's life. Sometime they are very lonely because the young ones refuse to talk and spend time with them. A house is no longer a home for them but a prison. They say: "No town for old man," they are just like living in a reject shop. Their self esteem are getting low day by day because they are jobless and becoming more and more like a baby, they need people to take care of. If they don't experience love, they will feel themselves not only useless but a burden. Even I myself will judge them like that because I can be extremely harsh when the devil wins the fight against me. That is why our Holy Father asks us to communicate more with our grandpa and grandma, learn something from them and give them chances to share as a build up for their confident and acknowledgement. In real life we not just only work for our living, we need to plan and be prepared for our retirement. Not only just old gracefully but old usefully. I would like to pray for my parents and I myself will have a happy golden old age. Its good for us to cultivate a healthy lifestyle now before we are too old to start. JPII said "The future starts today, not tomorrow." A senior citizen told me, retired people should do more exercise and the most simple exercise is to smile. If smile is not enough then you would have to laugh, if laugh is not enough then you would have to sing; if non of these could help then you would have to find a young man like me who can send you home when you are lost. Eventually, always ready to give and dedicate your best no matter you are young or old. By the way, have a very spiritual and blessed All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Before I end lets get back to the story. This morning while I was going out to work. The moment I opened my gate the 92-year-old-man was already waiting out there for my ride. I looked at him with a welcome smile on my face, without letting him wait I opened my car's door and said "let the mission begin......."

fin