| Feb 27, 2007 @ 7:27 PM |
Worth the Read
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laceywiggles2
Posts: 514
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I happened to receive the below in an email and thought it was worth posting here for all to see. It's words such as these that should make anybody stop and think. As indicated at the bottom, remember, whatever you say or do to others to harm them, one day you will pay for.
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the "News Magazine of the St. Louis Times Association for Mental Health." A slide presentation has also been made based on his eloquent poem.
And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this "anonymous" poem winging across the Internet.
Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? ........ What do you see?
What are you thinking...... when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, ..... not very wise,
Uncertain of habit with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food....... and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice....."I do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice ..... the things that you do.
And forever is losing a sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not........... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding ....... the long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes nurse...... you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, ........ as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten...... with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters ....... who love one another.
A young boy of Sixteen with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now. .......... a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty ........ my heart gives a leap.
Remembering the vows........ that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now .......... I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty ......... my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other ......... with ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me........ to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee
Again we know children ....... my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me ........ my wife is now dead.
I look at the future ............ I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own.
And I think of the years...... and the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man......... and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age ......look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles.......... grace and vigor depart.
There is now a stone........ where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass ..... a young guy still dwells,
And now and again ......... my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys.............. I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living............. life over again.
I think of the years ..... all too few...... gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact....... that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .......... open and see..
Not a crabby old man. Look closer....see........ ME!!
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!
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| Feb 27, 2007 @ 8:48 PM |
Worth the Read |
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suzzieq356
Posts: 636
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See you are a wonderful girl! Love ya Kebra
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| Feb 27, 2007 @ 10:24 PM |
Worth the Read
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laceywiggles2
Posts: 514
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Ha ha ha, Kebra! But, you see, most will look at this and never comment, they will toss it aside in their minds until one day "their" time will come and then, and only then, will they remember these words.
If only we'd all think of these words today. GOD BLESS all that reads this.
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| Feb 28, 2007 @ 1:16 AM |
Worth the Read |
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ol_hillbilly
Posts: 414
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Im gonna be that "Crabby old goat man that lives on the corner". 
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| Feb 28, 2007 @ 8:57 AM |
Worth the Read
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doc65270
Posts: 831
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well lacy i read it i liked it but its not for me yet i am still in my prime 
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| Feb 28, 2007 @ 4:55 PM |
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SpyderLady
Posts: 1,057
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How about just noticing we aren't all able bodied as we once were and if you notice someone is using a cane, take just a few moments in your busy life to at least hold the door instead of letting it slam shut in my face. And remember, if you are lucky, you will be old someday too.
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| Feb 28, 2007 @ 5:34 PM |
Worth the Read
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tomccc
Posts: 27
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Very nice Lacey. Thanks for sharing that. I think I will copy and paste it and send ti to my address book.
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| Feb 28, 2007 @ 6:25 PM |
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laceywiggles2
Posts: 514
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Doc, doesn't have anything to do with "being in your prime right now", it is for us to think about while we are young, because someday we too will be like that "older gentleman". It was just food for thought, nothing more.
I think back to my Grandparents, they raised me, and recall having laughed at my Grandma because every time she sit down on the couch she fell asleep. I used to think, geesh, what's up with this? I knew she worked hard and chalked it up to that. Guess what? Now when I sit down for very long, I'm out like a light. Some is from pure exhaustion, some is from medications that I take, but, nonetheless, it has taught me not to talk about others because it usually comes home to me.
Again, this story was just food for thought, nothing more.
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| Feb 28, 2007 @ 6:28 PM |
Worth the Read
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laceywiggles2
Posts: 514
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Tomccc, I'm quite thankful that you took the time to read the story, and more so that you want to share it with others. That was my hope when I copied it to the post.
Thanks to all that have taken the time to read the story. I certainly hope it left some thoughts of kindness in your heart, attitude and personality.
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| Mar 1, 2007 @ 2:34 AM |
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doc65270
Posts: 831
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thats so funny lacy. you know i think that your grandparents sold that couch to my parents because everytime they would sit to watch the news or something on tv they would fall asleep. ha ha ha and as for me getting old that will never happen i have been and always will be in my prime. ha ha ha
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| Mar 17, 2007 @ 2:27 PM |
Worth the Read
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dark_moon
Posts: 158
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This line of understanding came to me when my granmother was in her mid nineties. I got to thinking about all the things she must have seen and done in all those years and started asking her questions. Boy did I get some stories! Since then I have made a habit of asking old people about when they were young. Most are more than happy to relate a tale or two. It can be really interesting, and often funny.
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| Mar 18, 2007 @ 7:15 PM |
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1wlddolphn
Posts: 64
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Thanks lacey
I spent the younger days working for a lab and going to 20 different nursing homes early mornings for several years to draw blood work. Even tho I was just in my early 20's I would go earlier than needed because over time I learnt there were many that just had no family and they liked extra time to talk. I always made sure I had that time, rather than rush in and out of the rooms and over time treating them as my own grandparents. It was nice to be reminded of those days.....and think of the ones I knew back then.
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| Mar 30, 2007 @ 11:42 PM |
Worth the Read
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jellybean635
Posts: 191
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I work with Veterans here and it is a nursing home setting. and to hear the stories these men tell and the lives they lead it makes you take a new perspective on life and how you view it...
I had seen that poem before and it is the topic of alot of our inservices at work.
It never hurts to give a smile, a hello, or to even stop and say how are you doing today.. because you never know that might be the one thing that elderly person is wanting.. someone to say something to them... people dont realize how most of the elderly worship the compassion or even yet communication from another person other than family or thier caregivers... so please consider talking to the elderly, always be helpful... you never know when that is the one thing they crave is a kind word... and you, yourself could be in that very situtation when you are older and you crave the same thing....
Thank you for posting the poem for everyone to see, read and to actually give a thought too...
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