This is probably going to be one of the most painful and saddest editorials that I will ever write and I truly hope that I would not feel the necessity to write like this ever again. For as I sit here writing this; the uncertain side of me continues to ask myself if I would ever be able to see my mom again who lives so far away across the miles apart from me? Or the hopeful side that hopes so desperately for when I would see her again!
I guess that in the normal scheme of things, whenever we think of a future, we often think of a future for our kids and grand kids. A better future than what we inherited and one where we can look forward to being able to enjoy more than our forefathers and one where the world could be a better place for us all.
All well and good but what’s wrong with this picture? What seems to be missing here? Where is the missing piece? In my humble opinion it is this! When we are finally able to rid ourselves of this terrible scourge of a virus ravaging us globally, our world will be missing something most important! We are going to be woefully short of the hundreds of thousands of mentors, leaders, advisors, and supporters who have fallen victim to Covid-19.
Yes! They will be gone and we will probably never be able to replace them let alone fill their shoes or this huge and gaping whole! We could try to take some sort of consolation in blaming Covid-19 but unfortunately; we cannot and should not!
To be very blunt and honest, we also need to take our share of the blame and even at that, we need to shoulder most of it and why? Because we let them down in a big way! We deserted them! We left them to die! We did not take nearly enough time to care!
Who are they? They are our often forgotten seniors! The ones who fought so hard to ensure that we are here today! The ones who sacrificed their lives, their own future, their physical and mental well beings, and so much more to ensure that we would live to see a better future. They did this when they fought during the World Wars on our behalf!
They are our seniors who were living in homes staffed by woefully underpaid workers. They were our seniors who had to endure less than acceptable living conditions being forced to share their rooms with others; some times at least with three or four other persons.
They were our seniors who were not nearly adequately protected due to a shortage of staff and embarrassingly enough soldiers had to be called in to help care for them! Embarrassing to say the least but most of all; appalling and unforgivable!
I don’t think that I could ever find enough words to aptly express my feelings.
Each time governments and companies make cuts to services it is almost always our seniors who are affected first and foremost. Each time cuts are made to health care, social programs, and related types of services, it is almost always our seniors who are affected first and foremost.
For me; there is something terribly wrong with this picture! How could we sleep at night or have a clean conscience knowing that our seniors are the ones solely responsible for making us who we are today and then we turn around and repay them in this way?
Each time we put food on our table, take a cruise, go out to a nice restaurant, buy ourselves and our kids the latest and greatest clothes and toys, or enjoy anything in general, we must remember that it is our seniors who have made it possible for us to enjoy all of this plus so much more.
Each time we buy something new, make an investment, or buy a new home, we must remember that it is because of our seniors that we are able to do this! Above all, were it not for the commitment, sacrifices, and generosity of our seniors, we would not be able to enjoy what we have today.
We are much poorer now because of their departure. The world is a sadder place because they are gone! We have managed to rob ourselves of irreplaceable knowledge, experience, and leadership! Our seniors are gone forever and we have no one to blame but ourselves!
Let us pledge to rid ourselves of our selfishness, greed, self centeredness, and downright carelessness and thoughtlessness and replace it with a concerted effort to protect, recognize, and uphold the welfare of our seniors! For if anything, their lives may be easily worth a bit more than ours!
Just my two cents worth for today.