Monday, October 24, 2011

Aging Parents...Just love them

Busy busy day today. Worked, then took my mom to the doctor for possible kidney problems. It looks to be nothing super serious, and the doctor was very thorough. He talked to her, not at her which she appreciates. I have noticed that people tend to treat elderly people like they're children. That just pisses me off when they do that to my mom. She is an educated intelligent woman who has made her mark on this world. I want to say something awful to someone when they say, "Oh, isn't she cute?" to me as if my mom isn't even in the room. My mom is not cute. She is a beautiful woman with a great mind. She should be treated as such. She deserves respect, not a tweak on the cheeks. Gad!

She is 88 years old and is remarkable. She could pass for 65 or 70. She lost her husband of 67 years (my wonderful Dad) back on Dec. 2. It has been a most difficult year for her, and I wish I could erase the sadness in her eyes.

But that probably will never happen. My dad was the absolute love of her life. Their story reads like a movie. In fact, I am working on a book about my dad's life and part of it has to do with their long running love affair. Not too long before he died, Dad and I were talking about Mom at the dining room table. He said, "We were so crazy about each other. She was such a pretty little thing. And smiling even broader, he related with a sparkle in his dark eyes, "She's still a pretty little thing."

Despite it all, Mom has prevailed, and she is an inspiration to me. I try to make her life as happy as possible now. She certainly did that for me as I was growing up and for my sister and brother. I try to ease her loneliness.

We go out to eat together. She laughs at my silliness. Man, I adore this woman.

If your mom and dad deserve it, love them and help them as they age. Don't abandon them. It isn't easy, but it is worth it.

And count your blessings every day.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice to hear of someone with respect for their folks. I miss mine.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Unfortunately, as we age, we become invisible or cute. Anytime I go into a hospital and someone calls me "honey", I want to puke on them.

I am in my 60's and I do not feel old and don't think I act any way different than I did 10 years ago. However, society wants to rubberstamp me and put in in the a certain category.

How very fortunate that your parents had such a long and wonderful relationship. The love that they showed each other seems to have been passed down to you. I think the greatest gift a parent can give to a child is to show them what love is all about.