With the Passing of Time
There once was a time in the western world when the older generation was cared for, cherished; looked to for guidance and advice. No more it seems!
In a hundred years from now, who will remember you or me? The simple answer to that question is – probably no one.
Does it really matter? No not a lot. We each of us live our lives as best we can, attempting to obey society’s rules while trying to fit in, not wanting to stand out from the crowd.
With very few exceptions, most of us are simply destined never to be remembered by the vast majority. In effect, you and I are nothing more than just two more people who lived at a specific time and place in the history of mankind like the millions who lived, loved and died before us.
In their dotage someone of our generation, or the next, will possibly briefly recall an incident involving them and us. Maybe they met you or me when they were young – who knows? Or, something said in a conversation in the future between two people, who neither your or I ever met in our own lifetimes, will maybe recall a distant memory from someone else’s mind about you and me.
Being totally clinical about it, we are but a part of a small step in the progress of our species. Do we honestly matter? From my perspective and yours, yes of course we do. And yet today’s society doesn’t seem to think so, especially when we reach old age. Why is that?
So many people especially those who are my age and older, sit in their homes completely alone, totally forgotten and unappreciated. We oldies are looked upon as a statistic at best, or a financial burden on the state. Or worse, to be seen as an easy target for your friendly neighbourhood scumbags when we toddle round to the corner shop for something. Given that last point, is it any wonder we rarely, if ever, venture beyond our own front doors these days for our own protection? I most certainly do not any more, having experienced an attack in broad daylight outside my local shop by young thugs.
In one hundred years from now would you really like to be remembered? After all, you and I won’t know about it now will we? We’ll both be dead. Thinking about it, I’m not sure I would. After all what have I done to warrant such a remembrance? Not a lot. All I’ve done is to live my life like everyone else.
Like today’s busy society coldly believes – in the great scheme of things you and me really don’t matter at all. To them, we are just two more aging human beings.
Well, to that I say this – wait until you are old like us, then see how you like it when society ignores you!
