Will Doubtlessly Be Reaping In Old Age What We

December 23, 2007

The time is 11:20 in the morning.

My grandfather and I had just come back thirty minutes ago from our

regular morning walk in the neighborhood. We are yet to eat lunch in a

little while. As usual, only the two of us are left in the house. I'm

presently listening to a CD containing Christian New Wave songs a new

friend of mine from North York, Ontario (another Canadian province),

has sent me--which arrived in the mail this morning. Grandfather is on

his ground-level bed, sewing something, whiling his time, curing his

own boredom.

I feel more comfortable and relaxed in situations like this--moments

when my grandfather and I are the only souls in the house, regardless

that we're always inside our room anyway.

Only now--in my being constantly with him--that I'm realizing how

PATIENCE could really be the young's greatest virtue in dealing with

the elderly--add to that, UNDERSTANDING and EMPATHY. Believe me, if not

for these virtues, I would have long given in to resentment and

annoyance.

*PATIENCE*

Every time we would walk, I usually get tired not because of the

distance my grandfather and I were covering nor of how fast we were

walking but because we were walking rather very slow--almost as slow as

a snail's pace, for the obvious reason that my grandfather's weakness

and poor sense of balance could no longer afford him the agility,

stamina, and stride of youth. If not for patience, I would have easily

given in to annoyance and frustration. Because of patience, even

though my legs become tired and my mind weary, my spirit becomes

stronger.

*UNDERSTANDING*

This morning, my grandfather and I came back from our regular early

walk, my aunt and the rest were still in the house; in fact, she even

asked Grandfather where we went--to which he replied: "Just around the

neighborhood." Then, Aunt told Grandfather and me to eat lunch (they'd

finished theirs) for they would already be leaving for work.

Grandfather bade them goodbye and saw them through the door. The funny

thing was, after only about thirty

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