We come into this world not knowing anything and we need to be taught by our parents. Our parents help us speak by talking to us and repeating words. Showing us objects and telling us what they are. Helping us learn each and every day.

We walk by having our parents hold onto us. Holding our little hand and helping each step of the way. Sometimes we are put in a baby walker to help us learn.

We are taught when we are ready to use the potty. Potty training happens at different stages. You are in a diaper, pull-ups, training pants which are thicker underwear and then underwear. Your parents help you bathe. Washing you when you are a baby, helping you learn more independence along the way until you are able to bathe alone.

We grow up and continue teaching as we have our own families. We teach our children what our parents taught us but we teach in our own way. What we don’t all realize or see is when these babies who grow up after being taught, teach their own children is the circle when it starts to end. I think that is far from our minds because no one wants to be that old yet.

I am a caregiver for my husband’s grandmother. Well she is my grandmother as well, she is my Gma. I love her so much. My daughter is also a caregiver for an older lady. Both women are in their 90s. Most people don’t see the side that my daughter and I do.

When we get older our bodies can start to just shut down slowly. Those abilities we once learned can be taken away from us. The knowledge we once had slowly fades, walking has become hard and even using the bathroom can fail us.

Our mind is not sharp like it used to be. We can forget what day it is. We can repeat the same things over and over again. What we learned is still with us but it is packed away somewhere where it is not easy to access. Those memories can return at random times.

Walking has become a task where we need help again. This time it is not our mother or father’s guiding hand. Instead we are tasked with using a walker or a wheelchair. Sometimes we will still need a hand. Sometimes we need help to know we are safe by having someone follow behind us or someone push our wheelchair.

Using the bathroom can even become difficult again. Our bodies get weak and they don’t work like they used to. We sometimes need to be back in pull-ups but as adults they are called Depends. We will depend on this to help us get through each day. Sometimes we can do it ourselves, other times we will need assistance.

Showering is also so difficult. Needing help again to do what we were once taught to do on our own. It is so hard when we get older to ask for help when we were so independent for so long.

I see these things every day. I see the hurt behind the eyes of a woman who was so strong and did so much for others. It is so hard for her to be this way. I am thankful for the inside look of knowing that one day I will need the help. I will also be one who will have a hard time letting people do things for me but at the same time I will know that they love me and know I need that help. As we go through different stages in our lives I hope that you will take a little bit of time and think about each stage of your life. Respect the older people who have been there for you. Love them and tell them that you love them. They know you love them, they just want to be told.

~Terri