It is now mid October, the month set aside for the world over to honour its older persons.
And that’s just what has been happening throughout the districts of the Cayman Islands this month.
Just this weekend there were celebrations all over the country, putting seniors in the spotlight.
We have so much to thank our forefathers and mothers for.
Firstly, if they hadn’t been born, we wouldn’t be here.
We have learned much from them and the youngest of us would do well to turn to them for their knowledge and wisdom.
Their skills were learned at the knees of their elders and should be learned by us all so that the art of making delicious peppermints, scrumptious heavy cakes, beautiful thatch baskets, raising perfect pumpkins, catching fabulous fish and concocting excellent run down won’t be lost.
We certainly don’t need to lose our Caymanian heritage and culture, which most of our elders still hold so dear.
We must learn it from them and pass it on to future generations.
But far more important than their skills, wisdom and knowledge is the values that the seniors of us hold so dear.
Our elders have passed down to many of us those values and many of us still uphold them.
But we see those values slipping away on a daily basis as crime increases and we in the Cayman Islands try to keep up with the rest of the world.
Sometimes it’s better to not become part of the crowd and value what makes you different.
At one of the functions this weekend, the following was repeated:
‘An old lady once said, when asked, ‘what do you use to preserve your appearance?’ Her response was:
For the lips I use truth
For the voice, prayer
For the eyes, pity
For the hands, charity
For my figure, uprighteousness
And for the heart, love.’
We would all do well to sit at the feet of the older people in our lives, listen to their words of wisdom and practice the way they lived their lives.
The world’s population – including Cayman’s – is getting older thanks to modern medicine.
For that, we should all be thankful.
For those who have lost their grandparents or even parents, think of the times you needed advice after they had passed and wished you still had them here.
Take advantage of the elders in your own community.
You will learn valuable lessons and they will receive companionship.
Growing old isn’t something that should be regretted; it should be celebrated.
Many who are older will be quick to tell you that in their minds they are still young; it’s just that their bodies are showing the signs of age.
If you have family members who are older persons, take some time this month to show your appreciation for them.
If the older people in your family have passed on, find an elder in your community to sit down and have a chat with.
The benefit will more than likely be a blessing to you both.
Too many times the elderly in our world are put aside and forgotten or put up with as a necessity.
In the Cayman Islands most of us do a pretty good job of making sure our seniors are taken care of.
But just seeing to their care is not enough.
Our elders still have a lot to contribute to our society as a whole.
We, as a whole, would be a lot better off to make sure they are included in every facet of life.
Who knows what we may learn.
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