Growing through life

Hello Everyone :-) Thanks for your comments and in 2012 I will strive to always reply comments (new year resolution :) )

I am still searching for a job job oh but I remember a story from when I use to work as a personal care provider or health aide at a nursing home (old people's home). I had this old (maybe 70+) client who was in the end stage of Parkinson disease. I remember when its time to do his hygiene care, it has to be 3 people doing it because he was so stiff almost like a dead body with some sorta life. I remember growing up (9 years +) I use to hate :( old people because after watching Naija movies, I concluded every old person is a witch, the more the wrinkles the more winch winch the person was. One sad experience was when my grandma came to the city to visit, I was suppose to take her somewhere, on our way, I walked  fast so that people dont associate me with her. It sorta carried on to my early teens when I did it to my mom, she didnt even have wrinkles but because she was on the bigger side I was ashamed of her.. Neways I digress. The old client didnt seem to have any visitor day or night, just alone in his room, no one really had time to sit with him except to feed him which was also difficult. I remember he sleeps most of the time, cant talk or do anything for himself. One day I looked around his room, on the wall was the frame of a very very handsome man, all suited up. Looking at the pic, you will know he was a big man no doubt. So on one night shift, I was bored, I read through his chart and my eyes was just going wow wow wow. This man that one could barely recognize was one of the most successful businessmen in the country, travels for international business, I mean well accomplished and everything. I tried to think about what happened? Did life happen to him? how did he get to this point? its sad but that was one experience that started changing the way I view old people, and appreciate life. The more I worked at the nursing home, the more I learnt about them. I tell you God use nursing school to change my life in ways that I cant explain. It definitely humbled me alot, it made me appreciate my family and all the old people in my life, and appreciate old people in general.

Another story was one I watched on TV. The old man was homeless for years until he was beaten up to death by some young drunkards. The old man story was that he had a successful newpaper company in another city until he developed a mental disorder which left him wandering until he ended up far away from home with no one familiar.

Now, when I see old people in the transit (bus), I just smile and admire them because if you hear or read their stories, you will understand that in life its not how far but how well. Its not how much money and all you have but how many lives you have impacted. Someone ones said, don't be too busy with life that you forget those who matter and the needy around you because on your dying bed its only your loved ones that will be by your side. Whose life are you impacting as you accomplish all you are wishing for? I hope this season, we take time to reflect, we make an effort to appreciate those in our life and try to help others even just listening to them (I tell you, the art of "listening" is very powerful).

Having realize this over the years, I have this love for old people that I myself sometimes dont understand. When I am in the transit (subway or bus) and I see old couples or so, I stare, wonder about their story and just smile. Although, I never got to meet my maternal grandparent because they died, and met my paternal grandpa when I was six (the man was tall o, it sha runs in the family, and o he wore blue which so happen to be my favourite colour :)), and my grandma died recently, I have proposed to treat all old people including my parents (lol they will scream they aint old, ha well, so far me wan marry they are automatically old) with dignity and respect and strive not to judge them. I love old people and I think they rock!! Neways I think I am rambling now sha..You get my gist right? So even if I dont have a job to buy my Christmas shiken, I will try to reflect and appreciate the lives I have met along the way since I got to earth..

Okay people, have a wonderful weekend..

I hope you guys dont mind me sharing stories of my clients once in a while sha? I have met so many amazing people..