OLD BARN SITTING ALONE ON A BEAUTIFUL DAYWhen I first looked at this place as a possibility for my future home, this old barn was not mentioned on the spec sheet as being on the property. Apparently it didn't have any use as a barn anymore as it was cock-eyed, had barn boards missing from the exterior, and the tin roof had been leaking for years. The realtor did not mention it because it was old and decrepit in his eyes! It was a barn to be torn down.
So I moved in and thought about the old barn sitting out in the pasture. So what if it has all these problems, I thought, it had a beauty and dignity in its own right. Just like the older people that we meet on a daily basis -- they sometimes need some appreciation to maintain their dignity. and dignity they do have. A walker, a wheelchair, a guide dog, or a cane are just elements to allow them to remain in the flow of life. It has nothing to do with their mind -- or their smile when you give them a nod.
The aging mind does not deteriorate like knees, hips or other elderly problems. This has been proven. So, hopefully the elderly will not be left off your spec sheet of life. They have a beauty and dignity just like my old barn. I will not tear it down as it still flows with artistic sensibility givng me pleasure as I go through my day.
So I moved in and thought about the old barn sitting out in the pasture. So what if it has all these problems, I thought, it had a beauty and dignity in its own right. Just like the older people that we meet on a daily basis -- they sometimes need some appreciation to maintain their dignity. and dignity they do have. A walker, a wheelchair, a guide dog, or a cane are just elements to allow them to remain in the flow of life. It has nothing to do with their mind -- or their smile when you give them a nod.
The aging mind does not deteriorate like knees, hips or other elderly problems. This has been proven. So, hopefully the elderly will not be left off your spec sheet of life. They have a beauty and dignity just like my old barn. I will not tear it down as it still flows with artistic sensibility givng me pleasure as I go through my day.
Oh, how true, Barbara! Now that I'm getting older, I pay more attention, I guess, to how the world in general "treats" us elders! I remember my mother commenting about various visitors we had when i was a child, from time to time saying, "Oh, he's/she's 'such a character.' It wasn't said said in a very complimentary tone, but rather, as if that person was a curiosity, an oddity, mostly "elderly" but with still some life left in them! She didn't mean to be dismissive, but in a way, "characterizing" someone as being "a character" had that effect. Strangely, her judgment was applied to those who had lived long enough to be called "elderly" and still had personality, verve, curiosity, and a sparkle in their eye. That person was "a real character." Today, we might even call them the "real deal." The funny part is that later in life, my mother was called "a real character" by those who knew her! I hope I am working toward the same designation, although nobody so far has called me a "real character..." YET!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this lovely post! Love it!
Elora
Elora -- I appreciate your words. An example of older folks still going and growing strong with mind spirit is that they are users of the internet by 70% of their population. They are almost on par with the younger folks and at the bottom of the rung are the middle-aged. When people first started using the internet I thought this will be a difficult transition for elders -- but I was wrong as proven by this latest info from NPR. Love to be proven wrong.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for all the stories you mention in your comments -- i find them fascinating. -- barbara
I wish more women would allow their hair to age to a beautiful gray just as the boards on your barn have been allowed to do. To let true beauty show.
ReplyDeleteDarcy -- excellent comment -- gray is so beautiful -- thanks for the comment -- barbara
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