On my way to work this morning I saw the red flashing lights of fire rescue truck in my rearview mirror. I pulled over and cursed about how that was going to make me even later to work. After he passed and traffic got going again I started to relax. As I rounded a corner I saw the fire rescue truck with its lights flashing pulled into a drive way. In the drive way was a very elderly man laying on the ground clutching a cane with tears coming down his eyes. From his position on the ground it was obvious that he had fallen and broken his leg.
I don't know why I have been so sentimental lately but I started to cry. Something that we could shake off in our youth I have broken mine a few times, may very well end this mans independence forever. Confining him to a nursing home for the rest of his life. It just doesn't seem fair to make it that long through life's many hardships and lose it all with a slip on the ice.
It made me think of my neighbor Audrey and miss her very much....
12 comments:
You're right-it doesn't seem fair at all. I think a lot of times it's easy to not think about the people that those rescue trucks are going to rescue-until we see them laying on the ground or bleeding in their cars.
I hope that he is ok.
That is sad.
Sometimes I wonder if the crulest thing about life is that we are all born knowing we will die. There is no "if" in that.
I often times find beauty with the elderly but then I get sad when I think about their quality of life.
So it it true that only the lucky die young??
P.S. I curious to know who/if BRIANINMPLS will endorse a presidential candidate.
I've been too busy/lazy to blog but I'll write one with my endorsement if you do. I know you're not red but please don't say it's you know who:)
Look on the bright side, millions of people never even see thier later years.
Are you eating too much soy lately?
Don't worry, Brian. You're not alone.
Hillary Clinton cried today as well:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_el_pr/emotional_clinton_8;_ylt=AjGL_oAFbxm1sz._ioP5zkgb.3QA
What a cruel world, old or young...death waits us all...I need to live for ever...:(
the sad part is that old age needn't be so hard - we've just decided to prolong it with magic pills and somehow the rich pharmHMOetcs just keep gettin richer and we keep living longer more drawn out days on the hospital/nursinghome/wherever we end up beds - back in the day someone might have just shot that poor ole chap you saw on your way to work and put him out of his misery, if there were smallpox goin round or somethin? (by the way, the moments more of lateness you tacked on this morning - how do they feel now knowing you spent them in deep meaningful reflection and thought? or a blubbering fit of tears more rather - either way, time well spent in my book)
Time is the bottom line here.... and whether you die on an icy driveway at the ripe ole age of 87 or at the hands of a clogged artery at 49 etc etc what we really want to know and what really matters is have you lived fully and with the least possible regret and most possible joy?
PS I think I remember Audrey - do I? And how do you know that the slip on the ice would make him loose it all - it could be some sort of a blessing in disguise somehow bringing that man's family together and restoring peace to their family as they rally around him to recover and rediscover the value of love and togetherness & forgiveness??
you never know.... just sayin
I know what you mean -- I can't seem to go ten minutes without being depressed by someone I see on the streets here. Here's hoping your guy rallies for another day!
That is really sad, you never really know where those ambulances or rescue vehicles are going. But then to see it in front of you it's just a sad thing. So much is going on around us that we neglect to look at and then one day you're just driving along and it hits you. Hopefully all is well and life will go on.
I don't like old people and think everyone should be forced to death at 60. 65 tops.
Poor old, bastard.
Thank you for pulling over for the fire rescue truck first and foremost. You wouldn't believe the assholes down here that don't even move. Drives me nuts.
You make a good point, but like others have said, when you go will you go knowing you lead your life the best way you could according to you and you only? That's what matters.
And like Rocket always says, we just have a time span on a blue dot. I say appreciate everything in life..even the old man with the broken leg; you crying only shows that you're still capable of feeling. I think that's a fabulous thing.
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