How old are you now ?Me,I'm 32 years already I still have 28 years remaining before I reached senior citizen in God's will.We will become old someday , the beauty fades, our eyes will blurred and the loss our memory.
Well, senior citizens have a lot of benefits today, like 25% discount when they buy medicines and when they ride a bus they also have a fare discount.Thaks for that initiative of the government because most of them didn't have enough savings or earnings.
A part of old aged changed is physical , when their strength also decreased and their physical appearance changes and other basic senses like hearing and seeing as what I have said earlier.This fact about us teaches me to be humble because one day, we all have the same phase of destination even if we try hard to take capsules to make us forever young it will not take us to forever,but it can help to delay our physical transformation, a little bit.
My topic today is about my grandmother, she 86 years old already, her back turns into curve,I think that's what we called osteoporosis, usually happens to an old women, due to lack of calcium as they became old aged.Shes still active and living alone with her small house,(kubo)near us.She can still managed to get firewood towards the uphill, cooked, washed her clothes, and a lot more, in short, she's healthy but one thing has changed with her lately, she forgets the names of her children and sometimes called them in different names.
She has 7 children, and only the three of them live here in our place, and the 4 others are far from here, they just visit her at least once a year or sometimes not because of the pandemic.
One day, my auntie talk to her and ask if her son was there, but my uncle was there because he goes somewhere. She incorrectly called my aunt Ging-ging, but her name is Alma. Sometimes he called uncle Loloy, Pablo, and she called me Jing-jing, but I'm Weng and not her daughter.
How does it feel like when your mother forgets your name?
When we gathered the other day, with my family the other day, they talked about what had happened with their mother. They say, she's really old enough to forget their names, she didn't even hear when they called her and answers differently what is being asked.
They just laughed at it, but I can see their eyes that their tears almost fall, I think it's a bit sad when your mother can't remember you anymore.
Lesson
That's why it matters as long as our parents are alive and healthy we should always let them feel our presence and loved them so much because someday we gonna miss them so much when they passed away in this world.
List of her children's birthday
Because my Lola used to forget important things in her life, so what she did, she lists down all the birth dates of her children and their names on the cover of her, "kaban", we called it kaban, it's old baggage made of wood from their ancestors. And she used to read it every time so that she can remember them.
She forgets where did she put her things
Even though I'm not a senior there is a tendency that I forget my things, but with my Lola, she became hot-tempered when she can replace her wallet, or id, money, and any necessary things that she has. Even though it's not lost, she's mad because she thinks someone has stolen her things. Every one of us has a lot of adjustments with her attitude.
But I understand that it's normal, every old aged person can experience the same issue of forgetfulness or sometimes even worst kind like dementia which is a serious problem. I can imagine myself one day being like her, it's so hard to live like that, hehe but then that's the reality of life we all turn to seniors one day, it's human nature.
What did we do?
We understand her situation and don't make her feel that she doesn't matter to us. Even though she can forget us but we should always remember her as our grandmother who deserves respect and love as always.
She can't even hear us clearly
I just watched it on a movie that an old lady can't hear much, but now I already experienced it, how is it like to talk with someone who didn't hear you clearly, I sometimes talk to her in a very loud voice to makes myself clear it's so sad that it's not clear for her or even misinterpret what we said to her.
She always feels sleepy
She often likes to sleep every day, even in the morning after breakfast and cleaning her house She always goes with my house and sleeps on the swing that we had outside, so tightly she sleeps and she's snoring. Right now while I'm writing she's here still on the swing, and she will go home at 5 pm to cook for her dinner. She has slept for almost three hours now and I think it's better for her so that she can feel relaxed at her age.
She often misses her children as she always talks to me every day, she wants them to be here and visit her but they can't do it. Most of the time I feel her loneliness because she said, even if she has seven children, no one stays with her.
Her happiness
I often see her laughed but she likes to hear a joke, which makes her smile even though she's losing her teeth.
When her children visit her, she's very happy too especially when they bring her something like food or a grocery for her basic needs.
She's glad when her grandchildren treat her nicely and give respect to her like saying, Good morning, thank you, and other words of appreciation heartily.
She's delighted when she can receive her senior citizen benefits because she can finally have her own money aside from her children given to her.
Visiting the market," mamalengke", and buying her "haplas", and any other food supplement, her favorite food like," pan, fish", and her stuff. But lately, she has already missed seeing the town because senior citizens are not allowed to go out.
Her Style
She's a kind of a woman who is very clean with her surroundings, she loves to clean the house and arrange her things, maybe that's one thing that I should need to copy from her. From her clothing, her small kitchen, and with her few flowers outside. And note, she's very choosy with her dress, she doesn't wear clothes which can make her old, hahaha. Yes, she's not like that old-fashioned lady, she wants something that fits her body and makes her feel young.
For Her
My grandmother
You a living legacy for us today
That even if you old are enough
You are still admirable and have strength
Your hair already turns white
And your skin draw some wrinkles
But the love we have for you will always be the same
You are always in my heart
Forever
Conclusion
I can't imagine living alone when I'm old, but that's what happened to my grandmother, even if her children want to live with them she refused to do it because she wants to remain in her house.
We should love them, and show them respect as always because they deserve it. I can't compare myself with how long she exist on earth, I don't know if I can reach her age now, but our elderly are families legacy of their values and principles in life being instilled to us as the next generation.
Their old aged moments will always appear, but we must widen our understanding and still love them more so that they will always be happy with their stay on earth.
Do you still have a Lola or lolo?
Every day is a privilege to love them.
I hope this article would encourage everyone to take care of our grandparents.
Salamat!
For you,
I am not good with grammar, but I hope you can understand, I love to write about my family and I'm looking forward to reading yours too.
See you in my next writings.
I've my grandmother and she's living with us and being old we know she will say anything without knowing but we still love her and wish she live long and happy life