Today I took a trip to the Goleta post office to track a package but I can ensure you that that won’t be the main point of this post. I took the bus from campus to the Goleta post office and the bus stopped right infront of the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital where I was suppose to get off. After I got off I had to walk a couple of a steps till I got to the post office. I noticed surrounding the Hospital were retirement homes, centers for the elderly and what not. After I finished with my errand I walked back to the bus station to head back to campus.
I sat for a while then I noticed these two elderly couples walking towards me. They took a seat right next to me on the bench. I tried hard not to over hear their conversations but it was quite a challenge. The woman started pulling out her cell phone. She dialed a number. I heard her say “We’re here in Goleta already, where are you? I think you should come here, my back is starting to hurt.” Then minutes later she dialed another number, this time she said “We’ll I’m here, call me back when you get the message.” Then she turned to her spouse and said, “No one’s picking up the phone, both of the call went to voice message.” Right at that point many thoughts ran though my head. Some of the thoughts went like, “Is she calling her children? Where’s her children? I think she just came back from the hospital after a check up, but how come her children aren’t with her? Or at least grandchildren, If they had any. Are her children really that busy? busy enough to not care about their mother? At least pick up the phone or something, even if you’re in an important meeting you can at least send a message or something.. your mother took a lot to get to where she is why aren’t you caring?!” I got a bit angry and sad at the same time. I thought about how children can do that to their parents. I’m sure they probably were busy but busy enough to not care?
Not long after overhearing the woman’s conversation with whomever she called, I spotted another elderly woman this time, much older than the first. However, she was alone. I can’t help but glance. I know it’s rude to look but I noticed that she was seizing a little. She had short little seizes and was trembling quite often and hard. At that moment, more thoughts ran through my head. They went like: “Why is she alone? Where’s her spouse? Or better yet, where’s her children?! What if she was all alone like her spouse had passed away? What would happen to me if I was her age and my husband passed away or if my children didn’t care about me? Would I be left here to rot? What if I passed away and my husband was like the elderly woman? What if my children or grandchildren won’t take care of me because I’m such a hassle?” All these thoughts ran through my head. I was scared and at the same time sad to witness this scene.
All these crazy, scary thoughts ran through my head and it reminded me of this one movie that I saw. The movie was called Everybody’s Fine. I have to say this movie was crazily good. It was about this father who had 5 children and was all grown up. The man’s spouse had already passed away so it was just him. He lived alone since all his children grew up they moved out and lived their own lives. The father got very lonely and decided to call up his children, but everyone ignored him and no one really answered his call. Despite his loneliness, that didn’t stop him from traveling across the world to visit each and every single on of his children. Throughout his road trip, he encounters problems and struggles. Not to mention, he also had a heart condition. Overall the movie was pretty good, but also sad. It also got me to think what if I grew older and my spouse left me here all alone? & my children didn’t give a crap about me or they just let me here to rot alone? All these thoughts of being alone in the future does scare me A LOT. But I guess a person could worry so much till the point where they would just stop worrying and just carry on with their lives.
Anyways, I thought today I witnessed something different from everyday life and thought I’d share. I honestly, hope from the bottom of my heart, that everyone in this world has someone to love or someone that loves them; whether its family, friends, pets, or even a stranger, I hope everyone has at least one person that cares and would do anything for them. I also hope that by the time you finish reading this post all the way till here, go show that person that you care about some love and let them know that you care, that you’ll always be there for them no matter what happens. Let them know that they will never be alone in this world and that they have at least you to rely on even when they grow old.
