October
27
While I was at Epcot today, I was watching people interact with each other. Kids exhausted from the long day at the park and parents pulling them along to get their money worth. Just married couples enjoying a honeymoon made of dreams to find out it rains in Orlando.
As I was walking around the World Showcase, I was able to be around a particular family a lot. It was a big family consisting of 9 adults, 7 kids ranging in ages from 8 to 14 and a grandma traveling in an electric wheelchair rented from Disney. The family had been here almost a week and were leaving on Saturday.
You could tell by the family actions they had grown tired of waiting for Grandma’s electric chair and they all walked many paces ahead of her. When one adult would remember to look for her, it was only a quick glance and continue walking. Once a child mentioned, “Where is Grandma?” An adult responded,”Don’t worry, she will get it soon. She is slow.”
Grandma was in her late 60′s. She looked tired of the week long vacation and you could tell she had been to Disney quite a few times because of her conversation with the family when they stopped. The family most have wanted to go on another WHOLE family trip and insisted Grandma come. Not really for her company but out of guilt, the same reason grandma agreed to come even though she would have rathered stayed home.
Grandma volunteered many times to just stop and wait in a spot so to not slow the family down. The family always said no and insisted she continue. This would be the only times when an adult would now keep pace with Grandma until they got bored and moved back with the group.
Grandma felt like a burden on this trip. She now was driving her electric wheelchair, which was a hard task for her, by herself and spent most of the time just trying to keep up.
My mom was just talking to me this week about being scared to die and not wanting to ever be in a nursing home. This is a huge fear from her and truly causes her grief and fear. Reassuring her does not help because she doesn’t know what will happen in the future and the fear of losing control of her own life is scary.
Why is it that we do not mind taking care of babies but when our parents get older we feel they are a burden. Babies are needy of time, attention and care. Parents give up so much to make sure the baby is taken care of and nurtured for many years to come. Isn’t it the least we can do in return, is to give back the same love, care and time to them when they need it?
Lets show our gratitude to our parents by remembering what they did for us so, we can do it in return. Give them an extra hug today just to let them know you appreciate it all they do.
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