My Opinion on Old Age

When does quality life end? Recently, after talking to a man about his mother, I began to think about this thing of "quality life." He said that when his mother reached the point that her life was no longer "quality" he would rather see her "go on." Though at the time I couldn’t pin point the reason why, these words greatly bothered me. Mercy killing is what I often hear it called but I still call it premeditated murder. The truth is . . . old people are inconvenient. They are a bother. They have nothing left to live for so we want to rid ourselves of this little problem. One way we easy our conscience is by saying "It’s better that they die than suffer."

I think taking care of the elderly is like being a parent. Remember what your parents did for you. You have to sacrifice in much the same way. Here are some things I’ve heard children of elderly say and beneath them are my comments.

He can't walk / We have to haul a wheel chair everywhere we go
I imagine there was a time when you couldn’t walk and your parents had to haul car seats and strollers around with them.

She cries all the time
As a baby you cried continuously. Some babies cry more than others. Many babies babble continuously. One of my children cried so often that it kept me up and down all day and night.

She always spits up
Seems like I remember my children spitting up and many times spitting up on me.

She just lays there
Is it just me or don’t most babies just lay there?

She is always sick
Most mothers spend the first fifteen years of each kids life being a doctor and a nurse.

She is just suffering
First of all, is SHE really suffering or do you think YOU are suffering. But regardless, lots of children suffer. Kids get the flu, cholic, bike wrecks, broken arms, etc. Is that a reason to wish they were dead, so they won’t suffer any more?

She can't talk anymore
I bet there were about 7 or 8 months of your early life when you didn’t say much either.

You have to change her diaper
I understand, I mean after all, my mother only changed my diaper for two years. I should never return the favor.

She walks so slow
Yes, and so did my kids.

She is so cantankerous
Kind of like children who don’t get their way. Think back to how you acted as a teenager!

I am tired of taking care of her
Do you think your mom spent 18 years of her life enjoying every minute of her lost freedom.

I don’t have a life anymore
To live is Christ. I remember giving my life up for 18 years while I raised my children.