AT WHATEVER YOUR AGE ALWAYS BE KIND

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My daughter and I were walking out to the main street to get a ride to the mall, on an errand... when two ladies hurriedly walked past us. One looking in her twenties and the other apparently thrice her age. Overheard this.....

Young girl: "Bilis-bilisan nyo naman, nay. Ang kupad-kupad nyong maglakad!" (Walk faster, will yuh, mom? You're so slow!"

Old lady: "Eto nga, anak, mabilis na nga." "Doing my best."

Although the younger one showed such insensitivity to her aging mother, let's withhold judgement there because we do not know their stories. Or maybe they really have to hurry to catch up on something important. But I did form an unpleasant impression of that young girl in my mind. I was seething with anger, in fact.

But it made me think.....

On other occasions have I heard of similar words by the young. Sometimes even said in banter to and with their friends. Words such as......

"Para kang matanda; ang kulit-kulit mo ah!" (You're so annoying, like an old person!"

"Ang malilimutin mo naman. Para kang tanda." (You're so forgetful, just like an oldie!"

"Ano ba! Balat-sibuyas.. para kang lola." (Overly sensitive bloke! Just like granny."

"Ano ba! Dali mong matapilok. Tanda mo na ba!?" (Missed your step again! Are you that old!?)

That sounds so mean, harsh, and inconsiderate, even if it be true... or it be a joke. Sure older people can be ofttimes forgetful, repetitively annoying, and buckle down easily in their steps. But that is just the natural course of age and aging. We all know that. It's as normal as eating pizza pie. So why be mean about it just because in their company you would have to slow down or unwillingly rethink the usual things you would be doing in your own 'young' time, space, and world.

Let's nudge your memory a bit, young lady.....

Do you remember when your mom would patiently guide you through your first baby steps?  Or those long sleepless nights she spends by your bedside when you were sick?  Or those times when she listens attentively and patiently to your rambling mumbling incoherent stories?  Or those times when you stumbled and fell but she was quicker at catching you... every time?

This I have learned...... Life is not all about you. When you're done growing up (the time when everything is indeed about you), then it becomes time to think of others, too. Even care for them, serve, shield or protect, encourage or inspire them, maybe teach them too. In fact, if you have learned your lessons well you do all of those things alongside growing up.

Most importantly, at whatever your age --- always... "Be kind."

God bless you with everything good.

STAND BY ME

"No matter who you are, no matter where you go in life, at some point you will need somebody to stand by you."

That's a beautiful line from the song 'Stand By Me'. If you think that you can go through life all by your lonesome independent self, think again. Because that isn't so. You can't be all those things you want to be nor do everything you think you can do. It does not work that way. In your every thought, idea, or action lies within a special need which not even you can provide for yourself. Why? Because admittedly there are things which another person's thought, idea, or action could serve perhaps better than you - like it or not.

You can't know everything there is to know, you will need a thousand lifetimes to know or learn them all. And if mistakes are the tools for learning, you can't make all the mistakes you need to do to gather those lessons. You have to learn those from others as well. You can't be the sole reservoir of talent or skills or brilliance. Others have it too in great measure. Perhaps even more than what you know.

We all stand connected in many different ways. I need you for something in my life in the same way you need me for something you have to fill to get on with life too. Whatever it is -- intellectual, social, spiritual, physical, moral, political, business, relational -- whatever it is the bottom line is we need each other at some point or another.

And when life gets tough don't we look around for something or someone who could help us get through and out in one piece? I do. I need somebody to be here or there for me. Somebody who through thick and thin would --- stand by me. That, by the way, is also by God's design.

At this point, I'd like to say 'thank you to lovely people -- my gorgeous family, steadfast friends, strangers who were angels in disguise -- who in my small life have stood by me whenever-wherever-whatever'. And to our wonderful Father up there in His Holy Throne --Hugs, Daddy! Thank you. :-)