When I Am Old Remember Me
by Diannah Lynch
Title
When I Am Old Remember Me
Artist
Diannah Lynch
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
When I Am Old Remember Me by Diannah Lynch ~
A hospital or nursing home, or being homebound can be one of the most heartbreaking and lonely places to be in the world; especially when no one remembers you are there.
When I Am Old
When I am old, remember me...
Hold my hand, touch my cheek,
brush my hair, tuck me in...
When I am old.
When I am old, talk to me...
even if briefly, say a few words.
Give me your time...
enough of it to answer you back,
When I am old.
When I am old. let me remember with you when I was young,
As you are now...
So that you will remember me, and that my memories won't die with me
When I go from here.
When I am old and cannot speak, listen with your heart.
Look into my eyes and learn to know; my joy, my sadness, my pain
At not being understood anymore...
Because I am old.
Or, it may be that I am not so old, yet...
But I am not able to make you understand,
Because I cannot speak to you, or hear you, or even see you..
But I can feel your touch when you care for me.
When you feed me, change me, or talk to others
When you are working with me...
Please know I understand when you care ~ and when you don't
By the way you work with me.
If you are gentle and speak softly, I know you care.
If you just rush through; feeding me as if you're just hurrying
To get through with me...to get it over with...
Or when you bathe me, or if sling me around when you're changing me,
Or anything else you do for me because I am unable to do those things for myself,
I sense your care, or lack of, through your touch.
If you handle me roughly, I feel pain.
I have a heart...feelings.
I know the ones who are good to me,
And I know the ones who aren't.
I cannot speak up for myself,
But God knows how I am treated here.
There are times others will speak up for us,
And we pray for the good ones to work with us.
It only takes a few minutes longer
To treat those of us who cannot take care of ourselves
As if we are human...
We have feelings.
And if you would put yourself in our place
While you are caring for us
Maybe, just maybe, your heart
Would warm towards us.
In you heart and in your mind, put yourself in our place.
Or your mother, your father, your husband or your wife.
Your son, your daughter, your grandparents, your grandchildren...
And think of how you, or they, would feel.
Maybe then you would smile
Instead of complaining about taking care of me.
Maybe then you would use a gentle touch,
And maybe then you would speak in a kinder voice.
If you would care for me
The same way...
You would want to be cared for.
I don't want to be a burden to you,
Or you to look at me as a burden.
I am a human being and want the same things you do,
But that you take for granted, perhaps, without realizing it.
A smile, a hug, a tender touch.
To be able to take care of myself.
To talk to someone; to have someone listen and talk with,
Instead of staring at the ceiling hour after hour...
Day after day. Sometimes for years.
And no one coming to just sit with me for a few minutes,
To talk, or just hold my hand, or hold me when I'm afraid.
No one to dry my eyes when I cry...no one comes when I call.
Put yourself in my place,
Care for me as you would want others to care for you,
If YOU had to be here...
In my place.
If I am still young, or when I am old,
Remember that I may be from a different era than you.
I am modest, private. Remember to respect my modesty.
Do not rob me of my dignity while you are caring for my needs.
Please do not be herding me to shower stalls with others
Like we are cattle.
Remember to respect my privacy, help me to keep my dignity intact...
If I am still young, OR when I am old.
Whether I am still young
Or when I am old;
If I am still at home, or if I am in a hospital or nursing home...
Please remember me.
Come see me even if I cannot remember you.
Even if I cannot see you, or hear you very well anymore...
I will know you are with me,
For I will feel your presence.
You can still talk to me...you can hug me.
Sometimes my heart just cries our for a hug.
For someone to hold me in their arms...to kiss my tears away...
And to say ~ "I love you...."
You can hold my hand,
Give me a drink of water...
A ray of sunshine,
Of hope...
And please don't rush away.
Stay with me for a little while.
Then maybe someday, someone will do the same for you...
If you cannot take care of yourself, or, when YOU are old.
Diannah Lynch (c)
Thank you to the following
Group Administrator for
featuring "When I Am Old
Remember Me" ~
* Mental Health Awareness Group
Uploaded
June 1st, 2014
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Comments (6)
GJ Glorijean
Diannah Lynch, Welcome! So glad you found the SHCF Group! This would be a wonderful Poetic Photographic Discussion! If you are so willing to to share your photo & poem with us. Just start a new Thread in the Group, You can also message the members... It would a wonderful discussion, scriptures, ecumenical dialogue. I spend many years visiting my WWII mom & becoming friends with unsung heroes, veterans. Blessings, GJ glorijean
Diannah Lynch
You are so right, Michel. Thank you very much for your comments. The above was written when I worked at a nursing home many years ago.
Michel Verhoef
Someone dies once or twice....or never. After death, when someone is remembered he or she will live forever !!