A woman felt tears welling up in her eyes as she stepped out of the car, offering a grateful nod. It deeply saddens me that in such a developed country, we cannot provide for our elderly as they deserve.
Three weeks ago, I was driving my son to school. We decided to stop for a few minutes near the bus stop to check if he had packed his PE kit. It was then that I noticed, from a distance, an elderly woman slowly approaching us, visibly frail.
She tapped lightly on the window, so I rolled it down, and she asked with noticeable hope in her voice, “Good morning, are you a taxi driver?”
I shook my head, and with a resigned look, she stepped away. I asked my son to check for the kit himself, and I got out to learn more about the lady’s situation.
“I thought you might be a taxi driver,” she explained, “sometimes they stop around here. I need to get to the hospital.”
“It’s not far for me, about two miles. Please, get in,” I offered.
As we drove, I could see how hard it was for her to breathe, and how difficult a simple conversation was. She told me she usually takes the bus to the hospital every day, but this morning heavy snow had fallen, and she missed it. The next bus wouldn’t arrive for another hour. Listening to her words, I felt an overwhelming sense of unfairness.
When we reached the hospital, she reached into her bag for her purse…
“I absolutely cannot accept any money from you,” I insisted firmly. “You’ve been through so much in life; you have already paid your dues.”
Tears filled her eyes as she exited the car, nodding her thanks.
And there I was, a healthy thirty-year-old man, with a lump in my throat, watching her walk away. It deeply troubles me that in such a developed nation, we struggle to care for our elderly. It shames me that older adults must worry about things as simple as getting to a doctor.
Dear Readers, if you know anyone who needs assistance with these basic tasks, help as you can. Offer a ride to the doctor, help them cross the street, do their groceries… Let’s look after one another!
