A story about how the elderly do not get enough credit
My aunt was in the
doctor's office in a large local
hospital one day for a
regular exam. She sat quietly, minding her own
business, but she could not help but
overhear a
conversation across the way from her.
An older lady sat with her
daughter awaiting a set of her test
results. Doctors'
visits are all too common for the
elderly, and many times a loved one goes with them for comfort and support. The doctor finally made his
presence with the results of the test. Upon his
entrance into the
waiting room, he began talking to the
daughter, and explaining some of the
meanings of what was going on.
The older lady listened in for a few, and then gently tapped the doctor on the
shoulder:
"
Do you like to do crosswords?" She asked.
Taken a bit aback by the strange
question, he responded:
"
Why yes, I do them every morning in the newspaper."
"
Good." She grinned. "
Do you do them in pencil or in pen?"
"
Pencil, of course." the
doctor responded, quite confused by the currently line of
questioning.
"Well sir, I do them in pen. You can speak directly to me."
The doctor straightened up his act, and the old woman got the
respect she deserved. She defied the
stereotype regarding the elderly, and proved that while her body may bear the
burden of her years, her mind did not. This old lady could have been anyone you see on the street, totally
unremarkable, except for her little bit of unseating wisdom. I always keep this
story in my mind when dealing with those who have seen many more years than I; while some may have lost part of their
spirit, the sharp
wit of many years hide behind the
wrinkles of
experience.