By Mark Harvey
Christmas is less than two weeks away, in case anyone was confused about that.
In past years, as we’ve hovered on the brink of Dec. 25, I’ve generously provided lists of things to get for Elders; lists of things for Elders to get for non-Elders; and inspirational and insightful advice, like a past year’s Christmas Day column on “faking it.”
Over the years, a lot of these little columns have had to do with “help”; thus, I often feel obliged to “help,” which often translates into ways to keep ourselves relatively healthy, functional and/or safe. In fact, I coin cute little Mark-isms, like “We’re not looking to live forever — we’re just looking to live until it’s time to do something else.”
But sometimes, like today (apparently), I need to acknowledge that there is another way to look at things.
Like this:
’Tis the day before Christmas, and I recall when
There was more to my Christmas than “Help strikes again!”
See, my children have come for a visit to keep
Their old Dad from the second-floor window to leap!
How I love them! My children! All now grown and gone,
But back for the holidaze, back here, back “home.”
Seems they’ve all had a “meeting,” without me, I note,
To decide what I need to get by, all alone.
How I love them! My children! They fear that I’ll fall,
So they’ve hidden my throw rugs, put three lights in the hall,
And eight on the stairway — good heavens, it’s bright!
Guess I’ll sit on the stairs to read papers at night.
There are grab-bars in places that I’ve never grabbed,
And they’re casting strange looks at my mangy old Lab.
They’ve decided that he is a danger to me,
I’ll go arse-over-teacup, if him I don’t see!
They remind me of when lovely Mom took a spill
Off the porch: “She was lucky that she wasn’t killed!”
Well, they’re right, I suppose, but then, they never knew
It had much more to do with the gin in her brew,
But no matter — they love me! That’s so plain to see!
… But the dog will go nowhere, at least without me.
They’ve hired a lady to “help me,” it seems
That she’ll be here on Monday, the whole house to clean
And the cooking and laundry and vacuuming, too!
And “personal care,” they say, she might do…
I’ve smiled and nodded and thanked them, sweet kids!
I’ll can her on Tuesday and glad to be rid
Of a stranger intruding on my little life.
Help strikes again! How I miss my sweet wife!
How she loved me and held me — oh, we were a pair!
’Twas she put the “personal” in personal care.
How I love them! My children! A gadget they’ve found
That hangs from my neck, so that if I go down
I can call and tell someone, “I’ve fallen! Please come!”
I’ll give it a try, at least ’til Jan. 1,
When down the disposal I fear it will fall…
Alas, I’m a clumsy old man … to the mall!
They now drag me to buy me new clothes I don’t need
With zippers and Velcro, no buttons for me!
These old hands just don’t do like they used to, I know,
But I still dress myself, if a wee bit too slow…
But why hurry? Good Lord, I’ve got no place to be
And that old Lab’s still sleepin’, that old Lab and me,
Do just fine, day to day — so, my chances I’ll take,
But not while they’re so busy keeping me safe.
My grandkids are honeys! They love me for me,
Not for who I once was, or for who I might be
In the future. I’ve had a good life, don’t you know
That I’ve made it this far — a bit further I’ll go.
How I love them! My children! I’ll look forward to when
They come back next Christmas — when “help” strikes again.
Mark Harvey is the director of information and assistance for the Olympic Area Agency on Aging. He can be reached by email at harvemb@dshs.wa.gov; by phone at 360-532-0520 in Aberdeen, 360-942-2177 in Raymond, or 360-642-3634; or through Facebook at Olympic Area Agency on Aging-Information & Assistance.
