Best NGO in Kolkata
Old people are a treasure to our society. Getting old is an inevitable process. It is inherent to a human being. And with old age comes maturity, wisdom, and respectability. Elderly people are precious. They are the revered members of our family, wise sages, and keepers of traditions. They are a goldmine storehouse of knowledge. They have lived for a long time- from generation to generation. They teach us respect,
perseverance, and wisdom. By being with them and caring for them to establish relationships. Connecting with them we learn to grow. We learn patience and tolerance by caring for them. As they have lived long they know life very well. They have been through the ups and downs of life. We learn how to face problems.
Elderly people love to share. They deal with things very deeply. They teach us to look at things at a deeper level rather than waddling in the shallow pool. The elderly help us to see people as well as ourselves differently- in a good way. We learn our identity and discover who we really are by being with them. We become more self-aware and wiser through all the things they teach and do. They are big support for the family. They are our base and have a better experience than new-age people. Parents are our first teachers.
They teach us everything from how to walk to how to
love, from how to admit to how to forgive, they are the
most unacknowledged yet most dependable mentors
we have. It is indeed important to take care of your
parents especially in their old ages, when they need
physical and mental help.
But it is very shameful that the need for old age homes in modern times is a bitter reality. PETALS have worked with old age homes where we have seen the reality, their pain, and their loneliness. The place is of course like home where the inmates get all the facilities for a routine living, like food, clothing, and shelter. All these necessities are well looked after but, the much-needed love and care of loved ones are of course sadly missing;
for, how can outsiders provide solace?
The elderly of the world today are more in need of
love, kindness, safety, mental support, and comfort from their own children and family members than that coming from a stranger. They crave somebody who will talk to them and laugh with them. Nowadays we consider our old relatives as a burden on us. But not too long ago it was an unquestioned norm of the society to care for the elderly and was considered an honor and blessing. These basic ethics and culture are a dream today. They might have grown old on the outside but from inside they become those little kids who could never grow up again. “People say old age is
the recoiling of childhood” and it is true that old aged
people need attention correspondingly as a young
child.
PETALS is trying to make some difference in their lonely life by making their little dreams come true, and by making them feel loved, wanted, and cared for.
We want to tell this society please do not dump your
old parents into the old age homes. They need your love,
support, care, and affection at this age.
We Reap What We Sow. Knowingly or unknowingly everything we do is setting an example for our kids too. An expression of respect and gratitude towards our parents is a great example to set for the future generation. When they see us taking care of our elderly parents, they will be motivated to care for us in the future, won’t this make the world a beautiful place?
References :
By Dr. Bidisa Barik