Too Busy for Old Dad and Mom

When was the last time you talked to your Dad regarding your car engine? or asking Mom if she could help you out or watch you bake an old favorite bread that she taught you?

Perhaps we feel we have done the best thing after giving them medicines and taking them to the doctor, or leaving them lunch on the table. Are we too busy to spend more time for old Dad and Mom?

Asking ourselves these questions might help us realize that it's never yet late to spend time with them. Time is just there... and if we value our time as gold then we would very much love to know how our old parents valued even a few minutes of that time as treasure they would keep in their hearts forever.

I believe love is what would help us better understand our old parents during their twilight years. When they get older and weak, here comes the most important thing in our lives - loving our parents and making them feel loved during what is probably the hardest time of their lives.

We may, of course, give them what they want, or hire someone to take care of them so we can attend to what we want. But we are simply ignoring their feelings and needs, and this basically shows that we are not being loving to ourselves and our parents. I tend to agree that we cannot possibly feel worthy and valuable within ourselves when we are ignoring our old parents' needs.

Just a little of our time. If we could only hear them pray then we would know how they have patiently wished for our time, our touch, our presence, just us beside them even for a few moments a day. They want us to let them know we love them and that we are there for them. It sounds so simple yet it is so hard for us to do. The gift of love is the one they'll treasure the most. Even if we tell Dad and Mom we love them, still finding ways to get the point across is what they need.

Let's celebrate their birthdays merrier, more traditional but memorable. Let's make anniversaries perfect to bring back the old sweet younger times of their lives, and of course, make them feel very important people in our own personal occasions.

Let's talk to them, bring and cook them their favorite food, allow their grand kids to spend time with them, bring them along on short relaxing trips or even to movies (if they would agree), take a walk with them, dine with them, surprise them with little gifts to make them laugh. If they feel loved, they will be very happy.

These special times will stay with them as sweet memories. We will harvest a joy that we would cherish for the rest of our lives when we see them happy in their old age. There will come a day when you wish you could still hear their voice. If you cherish these moments, the memories will comfort you one day.