Donna Lewis, speaking out against elder abuse and reminding us regarding our seniors:

The function of the media is not just reporting the positive or good things in the world. Rather, it is a question of balance - equitable reporting of what is factual ..of what is and what could be....if things were different.

People often do not want to hear about problems . . . things that cause an uncomfortable feeling or guilt or sense of irresponsibility. They want to hear about the nice things . . . happy things . . . but sometimes, in order to fully appreciate the nice things, we must be made aware of the other; to make corrections; to make things right. And to do this we must be made aware. Awareness is not a negative concept . . . it means - having perception or knowledge; being conscious about; being informed. Precious describes something of great value; greatly cherished; priceless. So it is that I feel a need to share the following:

Missing the Gold in the Veins of Life
Gold . . . one of the most precious metals known to mankind...sought after by generations as the ultimate possession and as the source of great wealth and power. Men have killed for it...starved for it...sold everything they have to go thousands of miles to search for it. Yet, sometimes it is right before their eyes. They are so close to it that they fail to recognize it . . for often it is hidden . . . beneath bedrock or sand . . . buried deep within the earth. Once found it takes a lot of effort to extract it. And some are not willing to put this effort forth.

Sometimes, what is found is phoney . . . something that resembles the real thing but is actually what is called, Fool's Gold and can crumble to the touch...dust in the wind. But the real thing...the real gold...is durable and lasts forever. Whether it be in the form of nuggets or bullion . . . it can be melted down to form beautiful pieces of jewelry or used to frame great works of art.

If we can see and appreciate a precious metal . . . .an inanimate object, why can we not see and appreciate the gold that is from our senior citizens? Why on earth does our society cast them aside and pretend that they no longer exist? Or feel that what they may have to offer is no longer valuable? It is a crime . . . a true waste of a resource whose value is immeasurable.

What is even sadder is that in many instances, very real crimes occur daily against this population. Elder abuse and neglect is on the rise. . . physically, emotionally and financially, seniors continue to be ignored, physically abused, neglected, subjected to undue influence and fraud, and, in some cases, deprived of the basic necessities of life.

What's even more appalling is that this often occurs at the hands of family members...some who only appear in the senior's life after they heard that Uncle Joe or Aunt Sarah is ill and needs help.. . . especially with taking care of their money or property. This goes on even in so-called affluent, enlightened places. And, sad to say, very rare are the cases that get the legal attention they merit.

We seem to be one of the few societies that treat their seniors in such a despicable manner. Perhaps we need to be reminded once in awhile what a valuable resource our elders are . . perhaps we need to be reminded of their patience and love toward us when we were growing up . . perhaps we need to remember that they are still people . .people who need love and a kind word and a gentle touch.

Perhaps we need to speak a little louder so they can hear . . . and lean a little closer so they can see. Maybe age has slowed their walk and turned their hair to gray; maybe their minds are full of memories of yesterday rather than visions of tomorrow.

But seniors still have thoughts and feelings and knowledge just waiting to be mined and discovered by those willing to take the time to search.

Don't let us miss some of the most valuable gold there is in the veins of life. Don't let us bury it beneath the soil of forgetfulness or hide it in the closets of guilt or avoidance. Or we surely will be paupers in our souls....and the world will lose some of its luster forever.

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