Today I encountered what I interpreted as a small cry for help from a sweet old man who was the Wal-Mart cashier ringing up my items. Before I could even say hello, he looked at me with a goofy smile and said: "Don't get old. Don't ever get old. Stay young."
Then he shook his head, still with the wistful smile on his face and proceeded to ring up my stuff.
That kinda smacked me across the face with the thought that our old people are really not being treated well in our society. This generation of old people doesn't seem very happy, and I can imagine that it will get worse over the years as more have to work longer and don't have the love and support of their younger family.
And when he said that I also felt the weight of the physical aspects of getting old. It's like being trapped. That just made me feel even more inspired to work for a better society for the elderly because I will be there too one day.
