People often say that the elderly are hard to be around, and I can’t help but agree. They can be quite a handful. Like when you buy the wrong order for them, they refuse to eat it because it’s not what they wanted. Then, after waiting in a long line to get the right food, you return only to find they already ate the previous meal.
Or when you tell them not to keep food in the fridge for too long because it will spoil, but they insist it’s still good and can be eaten well past the expiration date.
Or when you urge them to stay home and rest because they’ve been complaining about back pain and sore legs, yet they refuse, saying staying home is boring and they’d rather be out and do something.
It’s true, their stubbornness can be overwhelming. But do you know they’re also easy to please?
Show them your success, build a family, achieve your dreams, even if it means leaving your hometown – they will be happier than you can imagine. For them, seeing you thrive is the greatest blessing. Even as their home grows quieter, missing the sound of giggles, quarrels, and chaotic footsteps, they are still happy.
Yet it does get lonely, leading them to eagerly await family gatherings every Sunday.
Sometimes everyone comes, sometimes just a few. Waiting for you in their pretty clothes that they keep special for Sunday. Just for Sunday. This is where I realize they don’t need money to feel content – their joy doesn’t come from wealth but from the company.
They just need your presence to make the house feel alive again, to relive the silly quarrels from your childhood, or simply to share their space while they can still feel. At their age, when moving is hard, back pain is frequent, and their bodies are weaker, all they truly want is your company.
Despite all this, their love for you never diminishes. They may be getting older, with more wrinkles and slower steps, but their love for you is boundless.
They really do love you, more than words can express.
