Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Veterans
Having so much time to myself lately, i've been trying to make good use of my time while i can. Recently, i spent half of my day with my grandparents.
It was a sunday morning. I woke up early at about 6 and i was already on the road at about 7. When i got there my grandfather was already awake carrying trash plastic to be placed at the trash disposal area. I quickly steped out of the car to offer my help. I just thought that it wasn't a safe thing to do for an aged man who has blurry sight and walks slow, and also the fact that he has to cross the road. After i got rid of the trash, i went to salam my grandmother who was inside the house doing housechores.
My intention of going to my g.parents house was to help them do those things that they're not able to do like clean the house area. I just wanted to at least contribute something and spend sometime with them before i go overseas to study. As they are aged, even the simple things that people my age can do is difficult for them such as going up and down the stairs and lifting things.
My grandmother list out the things she had to do that morning verbally to me. The first thing we did was to stop by at a grocery shop. At the shop, i was told to choose the drinks for raya while my grandmother bought some things such as raya biscuit, daily necessities and things to make 'kueh'. While i was there, i noticed that sometimes when she ask questions, the workers can't understand her so i always try to interupt to rephrase her sentence and change her words.
We left to go to the nearby fish market after grocery shopping. My grandmother bought this 1 handlength fish. i dont kno wat it's called. Then, we left to go to a tailor shop as our last trip. I just stayed in the car because i wouldn't be any help to her in that case. When we got back, i was just following my grandparents orders to clean the house. i was accompanied by my driver doing the chores.
When everything was done i was relieved. Not because it was over, i was relieved that i actually did all the things that they wanted me to do and the fact that i helped out my grandparents. The smiles on their faces are priceless. These kind of things are the precious things in life that can't be bought.
My experience helping my grandparents opened up my eyes. It made me realize these small things in life that are valuable. It also reminds me of how people can be ungrateful, unappreciative and disrecpectful to the elderly.It made me think of the things and we must do and not do for them.
The elderly could be your parents or grandparents. As you know, they are old, weak and weary so this gives us the reason to be patience to them. They tend to be slow in eating and dressing up. you should remember the time that they spend feeding you and dressing you up when you were young. When they speak to you the same things over and over again, dont interupt, and listen. Remember when you were young they read you the same story countless times until you sleep. When they dont take shower, dont shame them and scold. Remember they used to chase you with your thousand excuses to get you to the shower.
There are also things we should do for them. Help them navigate their way through these new technoligies as they've have taught you so many things. Lend a helping hand the same way they did when we tried our first faltering steps. Help to translate their words and sentences as our language has changed over the years. Remember when we mumbled we were babies, they were the ones who could understand us.
We should realize, despite thier mistakes, the have always wanted the best for us and tried to prepare the way for us. They're not to be ashamed of. Instead, undertsand and help them the way they did when we were young. We should help them to walk and live the rest of their life with love and dignity. So that they could pay us with a smile that means a thousand words and immense love they have always had for us in their hearts.
It was a sunday morning. I woke up early at about 6 and i was already on the road at about 7. When i got there my grandfather was already awake carrying trash plastic to be placed at the trash disposal area. I quickly steped out of the car to offer my help. I just thought that it wasn't a safe thing to do for an aged man who has blurry sight and walks slow, and also the fact that he has to cross the road. After i got rid of the trash, i went to salam my grandmother who was inside the house doing housechores.
My intention of going to my g.parents house was to help them do those things that they're not able to do like clean the house area. I just wanted to at least contribute something and spend sometime with them before i go overseas to study. As they are aged, even the simple things that people my age can do is difficult for them such as going up and down the stairs and lifting things.
My grandmother list out the things she had to do that morning verbally to me. The first thing we did was to stop by at a grocery shop. At the shop, i was told to choose the drinks for raya while my grandmother bought some things such as raya biscuit, daily necessities and things to make 'kueh'. While i was there, i noticed that sometimes when she ask questions, the workers can't understand her so i always try to interupt to rephrase her sentence and change her words.
We left to go to the nearby fish market after grocery shopping. My grandmother bought this 1 handlength fish. i dont kno wat it's called. Then, we left to go to a tailor shop as our last trip. I just stayed in the car because i wouldn't be any help to her in that case. When we got back, i was just following my grandparents orders to clean the house. i was accompanied by my driver doing the chores.
When everything was done i was relieved. Not because it was over, i was relieved that i actually did all the things that they wanted me to do and the fact that i helped out my grandparents. The smiles on their faces are priceless. These kind of things are the precious things in life that can't be bought.
My experience helping my grandparents opened up my eyes. It made me realize these small things in life that are valuable. It also reminds me of how people can be ungrateful, unappreciative and disrecpectful to the elderly.It made me think of the things and we must do and not do for them.
The elderly could be your parents or grandparents. As you know, they are old, weak and weary so this gives us the reason to be patience to them. They tend to be slow in eating and dressing up. you should remember the time that they spend feeding you and dressing you up when you were young. When they speak to you the same things over and over again, dont interupt, and listen. Remember when you were young they read you the same story countless times until you sleep. When they dont take shower, dont shame them and scold. Remember they used to chase you with your thousand excuses to get you to the shower.
There are also things we should do for them. Help them navigate their way through these new technoligies as they've have taught you so many things. Lend a helping hand the same way they did when we tried our first faltering steps. Help to translate their words and sentences as our language has changed over the years. Remember when we mumbled we were babies, they were the ones who could understand us.
We should realize, despite thier mistakes, the have always wanted the best for us and tried to prepare the way for us. They're not to be ashamed of. Instead, undertsand and help them the way they did when we were young. We should help them to walk and live the rest of their life with love and dignity. So that they could pay us with a smile that means a thousand words and immense love they have always had for us in their hearts.
