RICHARD YOUNG
Creative Director | Storyteller
My mother recently celebrated her 90th birthday. It was momentous, not only because she is a decade short of a century but because we, my siblings and I, were all brought together in one space for the first time in quite a long time.
I reminisced on her sacrifices and resilience in the face of changing times, her not-so-traditional offspring, and her incomparable ability to navigate a future for us. We were not your regular bunch and yet she persevered graciously. I swear, it is no accident that her name is Grace, for she possessed unmitigated grace, throughout her life, which we emulate unreservedly.
Our mother is not singular in her rallying for better life chance options with consistent promptings to do good and constant admonitions for better behaviour. She is representative of most mothers and certainly most of our elderly folk. I began pondering about our seniors and how we oftentimes don’t demonstrate the requisite respect, nor acknowledge their experiential wisdom and above all, honour them for having stood the test of time, paving the way for us to enjoy the opportunities that are afforded us.
Auspicious 90th birthday
This auspicious birthday led me to think of all of our elderly who feel displaced in the fast-paced world that no longer seems to accommodate their seeming old-fashioned perspectives and customary traditions. Quite frankly, I was stumped by our society’s lethargy in catering to their needs. I felt a little guilty about our collective amnesia of their hard work and what they might have given up to forge for our generation’s benefit.
I felt it incumbent not only to celebrate my mother’s milestone in this-here testimonial but to nudge all of us of our responsibility to our senior citizens, in keeping with the fifth commandment, so to speak.
I look into her face, on occasion, and I witness a lost expression on account of the changing value systems and the forgotten ethics and I am urged to be more compassionate at this bewilderment. I empathise with her confusion and therefore thought it necessary to appeal for concerted consideration of our elderly.
More than a tribute, but a call to action
This is not simply a tribute to my mother, which it absolutely is, but a clarion call to all of us to take time to be present with our aged, to be grateful for their contributions and to love them unconditionally.
All of our parents and grandparents symbolise our national elders and must be treated with utmost respect. We must take stock of our ways for, after all, 2021 to 2030 is declared the decade of Healthy Ageing by the United Nations, as part of our striving to achieve Sustainable Goals for a better world, affording us the opportunity to improve the lives of older people, their families and the communities in which they live.
My mother is growing old gracefully, I testify unequivocally, and so should all our aged. This can only be done with the collective goodwill of all our citizens who appreciate the individual well-being, social welfare and mental wellness of our senior ones. I take this occasion, as we approach the 31st of August leading to the 24th of September, to salute my mother, and all mothers, for their matriarchy, their maternal instincts and their motherly love. These attributes bespeak the grace in the face of adversity for without which we as a nation would not have earned our celebrated Independence and moreover our indomitable Republican status.
The WE family wishes Grace a blessed and happy 90th birthday!
