World Elders' Day is today: Never abandon elders

Today, most of you spend your lives, wrapped up in the warmth of your parents' love, assured of the fact that they'll take good care of you and protect you f,rom all danger and harm... Your parents are strong and capable of providing you a safe, secure life today. But, as time goes by, and the biological clock ticks away the years, making your parents aged, feeble people, while you grow up to become strong, healthy adults, then who should look after whom?

Your parents too will reach their 'second childhood' as it is often said of those who have aged; they may need a lot of love, tender care and assistance, just as much as you needed them in your childhood.

But, how many of you would really have the patience or the time to dedicate to these aged parents? Today many elders, abandoned by the very children they loved and nurtured, languish in elders' homes, undergoing great difficulties..

So, never forget what the elders do for you when you are but a child, helpless and utterly dependent on them for your welfare. Someday, you too will be an elder.

The poem published below aptly expresses the anxious thoughts and fears of a parent...

***

When the orders reverse...

You are the best thing that
happened to me,
On a pretty spring day in the morn.
You came with the sun,
And the call of the birds,
God's blessing - my world to adorn.
How happy I was with you in
my arms,
With joy I looked toward each day.
As you crawled, and then toddled,
My heart filled with pride,
"God bless you," I'd whisper
and pray.
Your laughter reminds me of the
rustle of corn,
Tall, dancing gold sheaves
in the sun.
Your freckled, snub nose,
Your heart- warming smile,
Your eyes, both twinkling with fun.
I count everyday as it quickly
slips by;
You already flow out of my arms.
How long will I have this sweet
privilege
Of kissing away all your qualms?
In your eyes I see dreams
Of a world yet to come.
A world which is only for you.
For, you are the child
Of life's busy stream,
And belong to all that's new.
You are the breath of
Life's longing to live,
Tomorrow is where you belong.
My life is that yesterday you'll
never know.
Can I dream to also go along?
With faith you curl
Your little fingers round mine,
Sure that you are safe with me.
As the years go by and the
orders reverse,
Will you hold the lamp for me?

****

Don't shirk your duties...

October 1 was declared as International Day of Older Persons by the United Nations to focus attention on elders - a neglected segment of our society.

Today, people live longer due to the highly developed medical technology and facilities. There are more aged people in our society now and the government is burdened with the responsibility of taking care of them. The Social Service Department has been set up to look into the welfare of the elderly population in our country.

The percentage of elderly people seeking refuge in elders' homes is on the increase. What is the cause for this?

In the good old days, most children lived with their parents and grandparents, even after marriage. But nowadays, children want to live separately after marriage. The earlier system is gradually vanishing and now the nuclear families live in small annexes or flats and go to work.

So, there isn't enough room to accommodate the elderly or even take care of them, as domestics too are hard to find.Some can keep their elderly parents at home, but as the younger generation doesn't like it, they don't. However, when the elderly parents are active, healthy and strong, some like to keep them so that they can do all the household chores and also take care of the grandchildren.

Today, most children are ungrateful. They have no values and principles. They do not do their duty by their parents and many end up in elders' homes. Even though these homes have many facilities, the elders prefer to live with their children and grandchildren. They like the company, love and attention of their children, not comforts.

Most people have lots of social and economical problems but none of these should be a cause to abandon their aged parents. Children have an obligation to look after their elderly parents till they die.

Pumali Jayasingha, Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy.