My Take on Life

There comes a time in your life when you are not a kid anymore nor are you ready for the retirement home. The in between is when you are trying to figure out what the heck you are going to do with your life. When you are a child you have MANY adults telling you what to do, what to say, and “don’t do that.” Life then is pretty easy when you learn the rules. Then young adult sneaks up on ya. What a shock! People expect you to know what you want to do for the next 40 years, when you barely know what you are going to be doing in the next 8 hours!

Life is just confusing. As you get older you think you have it all figured out. You go to school, get a job, get married, and live the American dream. NOT! Life jumps in and snaps you like a whip. The company you  work for is moving to Mexico, your spouse tries to understand but sees greener  grass across the street and leaves you with the whole bag. Morgage, bills and kids. You think you will never climb out of this pit. Then, life happens again. New job, better pay, kids are close to graduating and it appears things are going to better for awhile. Middle age is working for you. You are content in your life. Have a long time love in your life, a beautiful home, money in the bank and one of the best things..you have grandkids ..call you grandpa or grandma. Yes, life has finally turned  it’s shining face in your direction.

All of this story is fiction. Now I will start sharing what could be anyone’s life as you get older. I work part time in the laundry room of a local retirement home. Many people there I am sure have went through some or most of the things I wrote about in the previous paragraph. Peoples clothes tell you alot about that person. When I started I was surprised at the type of clothing older people wear. Many of the ladies still wore underwire and padded bras, or sport bras! I just figured that they wouldn’t wear one at all. I know I am much more comfortable without one. The ladies mostly wear polyester pull on slacks but a few still have jeans..real zip up, button up jeans. Most have beautiful clothing that they will wear if they have company or a party at the home.Many have silky panties and silky night gowns. The men usually wear briefs and a few boxer briefs. Men usually stay with jogging pants and tee shirts or when called for they will dress up in trowsers and dress shirt.

I do enjoy my job there, older people have so much to offer if you just take the time to listen to them. The hard part of my job is coming into work and seeing that someone I had usual contact with had passed away. They make their bed in a white bedspread. I recently went in one room that a married couple shared the room. She was sitting alone in her wheelchair staring out the window. She had lost her husband the day before. I couldn’t talk to her because I was already teared up when I saw the spread. Face it, life isn’t fair at any age.

Since I have worked there I have made some comparisons. So many things we have or do during our childhood is repeated in our old age.We are born crying and throwing a holy fit because we have been taken out of the warmth we have known for 9 months. Older, we are taken out of the home where we have lived for many years. As a child we had walkers to help us learn to walk. Now we have walkers to keep us from falling. Younger, a bib was put on when we ate to keep our clothes clean when we eat. Older, we have bibs to limit the mess we make. Younger we had  a stroller and  pushed around by our parents. Older, we have wheelchairs pushed around by workers. Younger, pearly white teeth. Older, you may stilll have them but some sit in a cup of water over night.

This is my take on life. Do what you can for the people you care about, give to charities of your choice. Stay young as long as you can but don’t be afraid to grow old. There are loving and caring people there for you when you need them. I know whereof I speak…I am one of them!