Old People

A friend sent me this:

Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? ......What do you see?
What are you thinking......when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, ..not very wise,
Uncertain of habit ........with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food.......and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice....."I do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice ..the things that you do.
And forever is losing .............. A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not...........lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding ...... The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse......you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am .......... As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .....as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten.......with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .........who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen ..........with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now. ..........a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty .........my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows........that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now .......... I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide ..... And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty ......... My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other ........ With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons ....have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me........to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .......... Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children ......... My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me .......... My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ...........I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .......young of their own.
And I think of the years...... And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man.........and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age .......look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles..........grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone........where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass ...... A young guy still dwells,
And now and again ........my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys.............. I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living.............life over again.
I think of the years ....all too few......gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact........that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people ..........open and see..
Not a crabby old man. Look closer....see........ME!!

Anytime I see an old person, my heart goes out to them. I don't know where this heart from the old came from. The only grandparent I knew was my grandma. She used to come stay with us occasionally. I don't remember a lot about her. She would sit and crochet all day. I can not remember a single conversation with her. I do remember that she tried to teach me to crochet, something that didn't stick because I don't know how. She made me a crocheted doll blanket and an afghan. I got to pick the colors for the afghan. It is obvious that I was in elementary school when I did this - black borders and neon colors. I worked as a unit clerk at a nursing home once. It was one of my first jobs after high school. I liked it. I used to think I wanted to be a nursing home administrator, but now I don't think I would want to deal with all the rules and regulations and such. Being an activity director would be fun, but I don't think the pay would be what I have become accustomed to. Maybe some day I will have an opportunity to volunteer with senior citizens at church, but right now we are involved in a church with mostly young members. For now, I will just stay close to my dear aunts and uncles. I send them emails, birthday cards, and call them occasionally. I am always amazed at how appreciative they are. It is something that doesn't take a lot of effort on my part, but it certainly means a lot.