April 12, 2022
We were saddened by the sad news one afternoon about our neighbor's incident on the street. This old uncle was the one who helped me one night to call a locksmith when I forgot to bring the house's keys and I truly respect and owe him a lot. A man in his 70s or 80s and living alone as his only son has already made his own life with his own family. He was a public servant in his younger years and became a widower when his wife died at an early age. Thus, all responsibility for raising their child was thrown on his shoulders.
Through his hard work and perseverance, he was able to raise his child on his own, who then became a public servant as well and one of the respective lawyers of Hong Kong. When his son grew up and had a family, he lived his life alone in his lonely house, which seldom had visitors. Even his son seldom visits him and oftentimes, can not be contacted due to busyness. And folk said that the two are probably not on good terms and that's another story to be unfolded but should remain in private.
This old uncle is getting weaker as days pass by and really needed someone beside him. Sometimes his sister's maid will be sent to his house to just clean the place or cook for him. However, that is only sometimes, and most of the time, I saw him walking to the market and buying things he needed. He's getting senile as well and he would sometimes forget to put the things he bought inside his house and would leave them outside his gate.
One afternoon, when he was walking along the alley from the market to our flat, something happened to him as he suddenly fell to the ground. His head hit the concrete pathway and bled. A concerned citizen immediately called an ambulance and he was sent to the nearby hospital and has been treated. The police officers contacted his son but were out of reach. And his old sister was probably the one who takes care of him in the hospital.
We have no idea of what happened next or if the officers found his son, all we know the old uncle is already safe.
This is just a scenario that shows that your child(ren) won't stay by your side forever.
Some people think that having a child(ren) would guarantee that they won't be alone in the future, especially once their bones, knuckles, and muscles become weak and they cannot perform their activities of daily living anymore. A family that would help them lift heavy stuff, cook their meals, assist them in performing ADLs, and other tasks at home.
That's one of the reasons why some ladies who don't want to be committed with someone just prefer to have a child than get married, just so they could have someone beside them when they get old and weak. I also have the same perspective when I was younger, but suddenly changed by the thought of having a broken family, and my child might be discriminated or get bullied at school for having no father.
However, not all child(ren) would stay by your side forever, especially once they learn to stand on their own feet, follow their own paths, and made their own lives. And there are only a few cases where child(ren) take responsibility for their old parents until their very last breath. The worse cases are those who opted to abandon their old parents as they don't want them to be burdens in their lives. Those with no conscience and ungrateful to their parents.
Thinking about this matter, I am uncertain either if one of my siblings would take care of me once I get old. I don't want to become a burden to them as well. I'll just let my fate decide how I will become once I got white hairs, weak bones, and muscles. Or perhaps, I would be just like the old uncle neighbor here. Forever alone despite having a family nearby.
Perhaps, I would just hire a caregiver, lol.
What are your thoughts about this? Share it below.
Thanks for reading.
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