Parents Series: Human beings and our poignance

Posted on Facebook @ April 1, 2022

A photo can say so much and yet hide even more.  While scrolling through my handphone photo gallery I saw this photo I took of parents last week at their nursing home.  Mom needs assistance in her daily routines, while dad is really just there at the home too, because, we don’t have a better plan, yet.  

He eats with mom, and keeps an eye on her; and he does not need to be the physical help for her daily needs anymore – like going to the bathroom and getting up from bed and all.  

Looking at the photo, poignance is spelled out for me.  At first glance it looks like blessing, an elderly lady being cared for at the dining table – she has a husband.  But what really is blessing, who knows?  All in the eye of the perceiver. 

Do I want a husband?  No.  Do I want to be cared for?  Yes.  I recalled a remark a good friend of mine, a married person, used to say to me, “We all want companionship, to be cared for, yet we don’t like to be bothered, having someone with us all the time…we want freedom and we want company.”

Oh well.  A conversation to be continued.  I like to think that all of us are trying and doing our best to be the best human we can be. 

#parentingmyparents 

#janetwrites