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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Groucho and Grandparents: Another Rant

"Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old.
All you have to do is live long enough." -Groucho Marx


Helping out my husband's grandmother has got me thinking about being old. When do you become old? We hear adages like "you are as young as you act" or "you are only as old as you think you are" in reference to the latter years. And in some instances it is wrong to mention the word as it has been heaped on the pile with "poor," "foreign," and others.

And isn't that the funny part of it all? Most people want to avoid making elderly people feel bad by calling them old but they certainly don't want to participate in their daily care. In fact, many are of the mindset these days that suicide is a caring alternative to life when the pains of growing older become a lot to bear. Now I don't necessarily agree with the aforementioned sayings in all instances-- yes, sometimes you let yourself get old before your time. But some people are stuck with crippling illnesses, depression, and loneliness that, despite their best efforts, knock back the desire to act and think young. But I am only 25 so what do I really know about life being preferable to death wrought at your own hands?

Just as with feminism, care for the environment, migrant workers, all the people-centric "issues" I get so ornery about, we often miss the point. We talk about rights and liberties, which I strongly believe are small matters when compared to a person's dignity. You can give an elderly person all their rights-- Alan's grandma can vote, protest, draw social security, sign up for Medicare, participate in commerce, drive, work, marry. But what good would all these supposed freedoms be if she wasn't treated with dignity by those around her? People are liberated when they are respected for being people rather than being useful. Our founding fathers missed that one, we as Christians too often forget it, and when it comes to the elderly it is seldom treated as the main issue.

Dignity folks-- get in touch with the old people in your life (even if you are old yourself) and give them some respect.

(And while we're at it-- here is a post from my grandfather, an almost-octogenarian who I not only respect but also tend to agree with on some political matters)
Posted by Sarah at 9:20 PM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

5 comments:

Sarah said...

And just one more thing-- kudos to my parents and my in-laws, who have shouldered their responsibility to care for aging parents when called on to do so. They've set a good example for us kids, which is smart considering someday we may have to return the favor to them!

July 7, 2009 at 10:05 PM
amberly said...

you are awesome. your grandpa's post is also hilariously awesome.

i'm glad we're friends. :)

July 8, 2009 at 5:49 AM
R.S. said...

Wonderful words, Sarah. If we view people simply as "not young" how will we ever find mentors and learn to serve those who have served us?

Also, all of us homies have talked about how we will care for Alan when he gets old, since Lucy will be too young at that point.

July 13, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Jason Heron said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
July 14, 2009 at 4:43 AM
howie said...

What is old? In a day or so I'll be 80 yrs. (90, now that's old.) I'm in good health, and enjoy life. When that changes,I'll be old. I think taking care of an older person would be easier for me, than to be taken care of. But I don't think of it often. we only have today

August 28, 2009 at 4:31 PM

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Sarah
I am a wife and mother, a writer by occupation (scary, no?). My new year's resolutions: grow a garden, keep the house clean, less wasted time, more Richard Simmons.
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