Senior Citizenship - a Blessing or a Curse?

Yo bro! Listen to me. What is it in old age that people dread? Getting wrinkles? Losing one’s vitality? Being ignored and forgotten?

Every Ellie needs a Carl in old age, right?

I guess it's all of the above. That is why people in power thought of extending benefits to those who are in their twilight years. But whoever thought of those rules are either very smart or just plain morons. Consider these:

• Discounted fares give old folks mobility, but they can’t run after jeepneys and buses anymore, or climb the steep stairs of light rail transits;

• they can watch free movies, but many of them have poor eyesights and have lost their hearings;

• they get discounts at restaurants, but they either have dietary restrictions or have ill-fitting dentures;

• There could be more.

And yet, the ones that they crave most are not these material doleouts. They seek recognition and respect. They want others to learn from their success and failings in life. Listen to them, even if you heard their stories for the umpteenth time. It helps them to make sense of what they went through, warts and all. It assists them to unburden themselves, and make it easier for their souls to take that final flight.

Be glad if you still have your old folks with you. They are your blessings.

Cheers.