Old Age, Debility and Suffering

Ah, the extent of human life encompasses various phases, and not all phases are similar. But, the most painful phase is old age when a person suffers most with debility, helplessness, diseases and isolation.

One who possesses good health is more fortunate, and a healthy person, in the dusk of life, should be cheery and grateful unto the Almighty Lord. With good health, a person feels confident and lively. That’s both like celestial blessings and bounty.

But then, as age surpasses, human body alters its hue, suppleness and potency, and wraps the whole body with asymmetrical wrinkles, laces a person with ailments and perturbs the bodily system with imbalances. It’s a clear change that turns a healthy person into an ailing, weak person.

Now-a-days, there’s saying that goes like this: ‘A full body check up is a must when a person reaches 40 years of age’. Simply, it means that we become more susceptible to diseases after crossing this age limit.

What a say about debilitating diabetes and erratic blood pressure that has become everyone’s ally, and one of them or both has turned people addicted to daily dose of pills. Perhaps, these two ailments, when ignored or left untreated weakens kidneys and heart...and there’s a mess when a human body begins to collapse slowly.

I remember my grandfather, who was hale and hearty at the age of seventy except that he was suffering from mild to severe psoriasis. He almost took pills and ointments for over two decades. Sometimes, he used to murmur sadly, “What a destiny...rather than eating almonds, I have to fill my stomach, like a pharmacy, with these costly pills.”

Though he suffered itchy rashes on his both legs, but he never felt depressed. But, one day, with unsystematic blood pressure and mild paralysis, his health worsened. Later on, he was diagnosed with symptoms of acute kidney failure. Fortunately, he was still walking around, with support, and although he felt uneasy and helpless, but spoke vividly. When he died, he was almost 81.

Oftentimes, it’s not a diseased body that dulls a person, but, in fact, its negligence of grown-up children that leaves a person into  loneliness and gloominess. In truth, with proper treatment, sick elders can be cured, but they also need continuous care, respect and support.

At times, when sick parents get irritated, children ought to be persevering, their little loneliness should be balanced with cheerfulness, their inquisitiveness should be dealt calmly, and there’s wide wisdom in not retorting them back with a single word.

Even if we become mature, highly literate and wealthy adults, we still remain kids in front of our old parents, and they rightly deserve paramount kindness, reverence and assistance from us.

Image source: drnorthrup.com