By: Denish Ghayal, Creative Director | Thaakat Foundation
I never had a care in the world while I was growing up. My mother and grandmother were always there to take care of me and all the household chores and responsibilities. The food was always cooked, the laundry was always done, and my mom and grandma were always there to tuck me in and kiss me goodnight after a long day of playing with friends. Life was great. I never really had the chance to know my grandpa. He had passed away before my mind could trap any memories of him. He often sat with me drinking tea and talking with me when I was only three years old. Today, I remember him through the stories and pictures that captured those precious moments in time.
My grandma is also a very special lady and she played a big part in my life growing up. But today, she is next to my grandpa with God. She passed away around this time last year. My entire family had a great amount of respect for her as we all saw her as the matriarch of our family’s generation. Winning her endearment made us feel like a kid in a candy shop. She dispensed heavy handed opinions, witty remarks, and serious advice. Being in her presence gave the type of calm that not even Superman’s fortress of solitude could provide. She was full of life and wisdom that only time could afford. For as long as she was alive, it became harder to deal with the fact that she would one day leave us. While the memories of my grandpa were fleeting, I will always remember my last conversation with my grandma in the hospital. It was a euphoric moment as she spoke praise of me. And just like that, she was gone. It hit me hard. It hit my family hard. My grandmother’s passing has caused me to recall and forever cherish the memories I have of her. I am continually inspired by her wisdom and advice. Each of us should also cherish and be inspired by the elders in our lives. Not only when they’re gone, but everyday they are alive.
In today’s society many people have forgotten the value of their elders. Despite much of the wisdom and value they have to provide us, the elderly are too often treated disrespectfully and are not returned an equal amount of affection they so freely gave us when we were younger. Aging is natural, and with it comes slight deterioration of the body and mind. Instead of growing an appreciation and understanding for those who grow old, we have viewed the elderly as insignificant and a nuisance. It is not okay to ignore them, it is not right to abuse them, and it certainly isn’t fair to forget them. Our elders have more to offer than their appearance may tell us. We may think that they don’t have the capacity to understand our lives. We may think they are desensitized to feeling hurt or ignored, but they are sensitive like anyone else. We as humans should embody not only empathy and sympathy for them in their later years, but embrace and enjoy all that they have to offer us.
As a board member of Thaakat Foundation, I feel that it is not only important for us to provide the underprivileged with material offerings such as food, water, and clothing, but also to feed the spirit. This is why Thaakat Foundation has made it a point to spend time with the elderly at various homes, with the most notable being Hamdard Center in Chicago. We have hosted several volunteer events to spend time with the elderly during thanksgiving, in the summertime gardening, and we have also held painting sessions. We recently hosted another volunteer event at Hamdard and I have attended many of these events myself. I am always blessed by the priceless smiles on the faces of all those grandpas and grandmas as they are reminiscent of my own Grandma’s. Always remember to help feed their spirits as yours will surely be fed as well.
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