Considerations by Nedda
Hello seniors, aging adults, senior citizens, maturing adults, older folks, really older folks. Well ... right here is the trouble. Everybody wants to be accurate and able to name the population they need to reach, research, defraud, sell something to or for whatever reason totally ignore or avoid.
Why don’t they just leave the titles alone ... say, hello ... and let it go. Of course it is easier to target your market if you can categorize us.
Who are the folks with the new categories? Anyone younger than you.
They mean well. It’s just that negotiating with people younger can lead to some messes — some big messes. An example ... We just watched one of those TV video things where the police stop people for various violations. One 64-year-old lady felt the police were not the police, and after some bickering, she drove off and had to be stopped after she drove over those spikes the cops throw in the street. See what I mean? A big mess for her, for sure!
Small messes come about when our children try to explain to us that we are getting older and maybe need some help with appointments, driving or not driving, and general upkeep on our bodies and minds. Excuse me ... What are they talking about?
My friends (at least the ones who are barely 60) have heard remarks like this and laugh, but some of us understand.
Who have those kids been talking to, and by the way, when did they get so bossy? They have forgotten we are the parents, and they are the children. They have forgotten we slaved and sacrificed ourselves for them. For years! Yes, that’s right, years.
It is easy at these times to forget that these “children” have children of their own or are responsible for others, vote and negotiate six-lane traffic, airports, tuition, mortgages ... and aging parents.
They see us walk, drive, eat, prepare meals, dress — more slowly or not well at all.
Could our dear loved ones who seem bossy at times, love us and want no harm to fall upon us? It is scary for them to see us in the process of aging ... leaving.
Listen, see their point of view without argument and help them come up with alternatives. We won’t win all the time. But we are never going to win against time, so let’s be gracious, wise and loving.
I’ll have more thoughts if Bossy Boss — also known as the editor — wants me to continue.
By the way ... Let us not forget to be kind to everyone.
Nedda Simon of rural Princeton can be reached at neddasimon@ymail.com.
