Old Age

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  • 11th September 2020 at 9:05 am #533666

    I saw this today and just felt it had to be shared.

    When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
    Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
    One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
    And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.
    Cranky Old Man
    What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
    What are you thinking .. . when you’re looking at me?
    A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
    Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
    Who dribbles his food .. . … . . and makes no reply.
    When you say in a loud voice . .’I do wish you’d try!’
    Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
    And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
    Who, resisting or not . . . … lets you do as you will,
    With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
    Is that what you’re thinking?. .Is that what you see?
    Then open your eyes, nurse .you’re not looking at me.
    I’ll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
    As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
    I’m a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
    Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
    A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
    Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he’ll meet.
    A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
    Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
    At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
    Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
    A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
    Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
    At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
    But my woman is beside me . . to see I don’t mourn.
    At Fifty, once more, .. …Babies play ’round my knee,
    Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
    Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
    I look at the future … . . . . I shudder with dread.
    For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
    And I think of the years . . . And the love that I’ve known.
    I’m now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
    It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
    The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
    There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
    But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
    And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
    I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
    And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
    I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
    And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
    So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
    Not a cranky old man .
    Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. …. . ME!!

    Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

    11th September 2020 at 9:33 am #533669

    I saw this once before Breadhead, it is very true. I have always felt emotional around elderly people, felt for their confusion, for their lost youth, for their frustration, but have also always enjoyed their wonderful sense of humour when it comes to the fore.

    We will all get there one day.

    11th September 2020 at 9:55 am #533672

    Me too Fruits, I’m not exactly young myself but in comparison I’m probably still considered a young man, it’s all relative, if you are 90 years old a person at 66 would be considered young. This poem certainly makes you think and wonder what later life holds for us all.

    11th September 2020 at 10:14 am #533675

    Not seen that before Breadhead, but it hits the spot.
    On a lighter note….
    Life is like a toilet roll.
    The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.

    11th September 2020 at 1:18 pm #533692

    Of course, not all people old in years are ‘elderly’ we have a friend who has been ‘elderly’ for as long as we’ve known him, long before he was old in years, yet there are others who are old in years but are still not yet elderly, sometimes old age is an attitude of mind rather than the number of years on this earth. I’d like to think Mr. F. and I come in the category of old in years but not yet elderly!

    11th September 2020 at 4:36 pm #533704

    I agree, I sometimes look at people that I deal with and feel as though I am younger than them although in reality I’m older and some cases much older. I guess it’s your outlook on life that determines this, inside my head I’m still a teenager.

    11th September 2020 at 5:25 pm #533707

    My dad was always getting the shopping for his neighbouring “old dears” (as he called them) he was older than all of them!

    11th September 2020 at 6:23 pm #533709

    I noticed, from a very young age, that the old ‘uns had more interesting stuff to say than my peers.

    12th September 2020 at 2:02 pm #533806

    When I worked as a carer many years ago looking after the elderly, I was always very aware of what these people might have done and been through in their lives, and always showed much respect for them no matter what state of mind they were in.

    Unfortunately I worked with some carers that weren’t as thoughtful, it does happen! :negative:

    12th September 2020 at 5:40 pm #533822

    And, sadly, it happens all too often, Tigre.

    I agree it quite often is outlook that keeps us young and I think that mindset changed in the eighties. On the whole, older people didn’t age as quickly from then and haven’t done since.

     

    12th September 2020 at 6:49 pm #533826

    Yes Tournesol you are right. Take fashion and hairstyles for example and look at the women back in the 50’s and 60’s – they all looked 20+ years older than their true ages because they all conformed to the same style and wore terrible constricting underwear. People started to “loosen up” in the 70’s more and let their hair grow, changed their Dame Edna specs and the weekly perm to more loose styles, I know my mum did and she looked so much younger for it. My dad always said when he was in his 80’s that he still felt 40 inside but his body wouldn’t let him do what he wanted and that often made him very down. We are all getting older as each day passes and it is very scary to see people changing but their ideas and outlook seem to have got better. Today we see women like Jane Fonda, Helen Mirren and even HM looking far better than women previously did at their ages back years ago. Same goes for the men as well in many cases

    15th September 2020 at 10:36 pm #534076

    Talking about old age, I’ve just watched this video (heavy metal from Iron Maiden). I don’t know how old they are but it’s nice to watch them having fun ! A few more rinckles though … I wonder if they had thei hip done to jump like that ?

    15th September 2020 at 11:24 pm #534078

    Talking of old age, I used to enjoy Iron Maiden, now after watching that, I just want to give them a wash! 🤣

    16th September 2020 at 8:20 am #534083

    I am afraid it sneaks upon us, we were laying concrete last week, a few years ago I could go all days without breaking a sweat, but last week I was puffing & blowing like a steam train, I put it down to the hot temperature,but I suppose it is Father time creeping up on me.

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