The other day I was leaving the drugstore and I offered my basket to a middle aged woman coming in the door. She said, “Thank you, darling.” I did not like this. I have not been a “darling,” a “sweetie,” or a “precious” in many years, i.e. when I was a little girl. Why do people feel the need to denigrate female seniors in such a way? Do male seniors have people doing this to them, calling them “darling” or “honey?” Well, it needs to stop.
We are not children or feeble minded. We do not need to be treated delicately. This woman would not have included the "darling" if I was 45 years old. She would have just said, “Thank you.”
I think the problem is that people in general do not respect us seniors. They think we have lost our marbles and have no sense since we have gotten older. All of us will think a little more slowly at some point in time, but just because we have gray in our hair does not mean we are feebleminded.
I can understand why extremely young people are disrespectable because they have no idea how much we know and how little they know. They think they know it all and act accordingly. This is both ignorance and youth. But those people who have moved beyond those 20’s need to be more respectful.
I am an individual who takes care of me (and my dog). I might walk with a cane, but that does not mean I am stupid. That just means I have a bad foot. I might move slowly because of arthritis, but that does not mean I am stupid, either. Unfortunately some seniors do lose their minds when growing old, but do not assume all of us have, if we are functioning ok in the outside world. Give us the respect we deserve and do not call us little demeaning names. Just say “thank you.”
Thank you for reading this.
We are not children or feeble minded. We do not need to be treated delicately. This woman would not have included the "darling" if I was 45 years old. She would have just said, “Thank you.”
I think the problem is that people in general do not respect us seniors. They think we have lost our marbles and have no sense since we have gotten older. All of us will think a little more slowly at some point in time, but just because we have gray in our hair does not mean we are feebleminded.
I can understand why extremely young people are disrespectable because they have no idea how much we know and how little they know. They think they know it all and act accordingly. This is both ignorance and youth. But those people who have moved beyond those 20’s need to be more respectful.
I am an individual who takes care of me (and my dog). I might walk with a cane, but that does not mean I am stupid. That just means I have a bad foot. I might move slowly because of arthritis, but that does not mean I am stupid, either. Unfortunately some seniors do lose their minds when growing old, but do not assume all of us have, if we are functioning ok in the outside world. Give us the respect we deserve and do not call us little demeaning names. Just say “thank you.”
Thank you for reading this.
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