New Civilization News: A fiesta for our elders    
 A fiesta for our elders5 comments
picture 3 Dec 2005 @ 23:02, by Silvia M.S

Today we've celebrated a day for our elders. Families reunited together to honour those who are in this world since so many years. While our beloved elders are still with us, we're on time to show them our love, and this fiesta was a beautiful present of love for them.

My grandmother Carmen, who is 93, enjoyed the fiesta very much. She's one of the most wonderful people I know. When she embraces me I feel myself at home, completely safe in a sacred place where nothing bad can happen. I don't know how long she's going to stay with us, but what I do know is that I want to enjoy this time with her as much as I can.

We started the fiesta with a merienda (a Spanish light meal taken in the late-afternoon). We were distributed in several tables, one per family, and those with no family joined us as well. It must be really sad to have no family, or a family who doesn't care about you, so we did our best to animate them.

After the merienda, we gave them the presents. My grandma opened up hers with the excitement of a child. While she was unwrapping up her gift, I remembered the many presents she gave me for my birthdays or for the Wise Men day since I was a baby. She always knew what I wanted as a present, I've never needed to tell her, she knows me very well.

At the end of the day, it was time for dancing. Tables were removed and those who cannot walk were placed in their wheelchairs in two rows, with a clear space in the middle to let the rest of the people dance. The orchestra animated the atmosphere playing old songs, and people were slowly losing their shyness and started to dance lively. I danced several pieces with my mother, we both like it very much. Later, an old man invited me to dance, like in the old times, and he thanked me kindly when I accepted. Wow, I was astonished by his ability to dance pasodoble!

I've enjoyed this day so much! The smile in the eyes of these elders warmed my heart with joy and hope. Although their bodies are tired, their souls are still young and want to enjoy every day as much as we do. I'm glad for having had the opportunity to spend this day with them, while the flame of life is still shining in their hearts.




[< Back] [New Civilization News]

Category:  

5 comments

3 Dec 2005 @ 23:48 by swan : What a lovely tradition.
There are many places, USA included, where the elders do not get that kind of acknowledgement. I bet it was heart warming for them to spend the day with people who cared and honored their years of experience and wisdom.

**********
Here in Spain many elders also suffer pretty much. For example, some people leave them in asylums where they have a good care, but never come back to visit them. Of course it's important that they have a good care, but giving them love is so essential! My mother worked many years in one of those asylums and it was heartbreaking to see that many were alone even in the Christmas day, and some families only showed up to take their belongings when they have died.  



4 Dec 2005 @ 09:58 by gea : So nice...
You´re so lucky. :-)
(Is that you with a bottle of champagne?)
My mother has been 98 this last week, and she is every bit as sharp as when I lived with her, haha.

***********
Wow, 98 and in good shape! You're lucky too ;-)
I'm not the one with a bottle of champagne, as I was taking the pic, but I had a glass full of champagne with me hehe. I'm in one of the pics, dancing with my mother.  



4 Dec 2005 @ 10:06 by jstarrs : Beautiful...
..I often regret the passing of the importance of the role of our grandparents in modern family life.
I think the wisdom, and the way they can pass it on, without authority as parents 'must' do, has an important effect on children.
These kind of 'hommages' are wonderful to see.

*********
Nowadays most of the people don't care about the elders, not like in the old times when they were respected and when young people used to ask them for advice. So today it was an especial day for them, and also for us. I enjoyed the day very much.  



5 Dec 2005 @ 14:55 by jerryvest : It is so true that most people don't
care about our elders. Many are put in nursing homes and forgotten, much like our prison populations. Would be nice to have a special holiday and special events to recognize our elders and to make sure that they are meeting their basic human needs and living with dignity and respect.

Our project to incorporate healthy touch in these institutions is moving along quite nicely and I will be reporting on our progress soon. Thanks for informing us about how you support our Elders.

*******
I'm sure that you're doing a great progress with your touch. We can do so much for our elders, they appreciate everything that is done for them with love. My grandmother still keeps the drawings and poems I made for her when I was a little girl :-)  



16 Jun 2006 @ 08:46 by maximillian @202.73.123.55 : salute...............
absolutely terrific.....u r indeed love the nature n having sense of art richly.........u love the family much and cares to the eldest ones, u r the best daughter n granddaughter.................................

*******
Wow, Maximilian, thank you, you're too kind! :-)  



Your Name:
Your URL: (or email)
Subject:       
Comment:
For verification, please type the word you see on the left:


Other entries in
1 Jul 2010 @ 22:02: The Utter Uselessness of Sports and the Purpose of Life
26 Jun 2010 @ 20:45: A game has 90 minutes, ehh, or 120, plus overtime...
6 Jan 2009 @ 06:58: GAMES POSTULATES
11 Dec 2008 @ 06:48: Divinity Rising: My (bra) cup runneth over...
11 Dec 2008 @ 01:14: Strong with the force, that one is...
7 Dec 2008 @ 16:23: An Open Letter to Enlil and Enki ("Sermon of the Holy Rock")
16 Jan 2008 @ 11:00: What Are You Like?
22 Nov 2007 @ 19:01: The purpose of the white rabbit...
30 Jul 2007 @ 14:52: The REAL purpose for the creation of pets
25 Apr 2007 @ 18:05: Git ve gör! Çok geç olmadan



[< Back] [New Civilization News] [PermaLink]?