The eldery at the KH....

by Country Girl 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  Country Girl

  While I was a kid at the KH, some of my most favorite people at the Kingdom Hall were the elderly. I loved sitting by them, loved talking to them, and loved them giving me candy during the meeting, and then giving dirty looks to those younger folks that dared send them a nasty stare for my chomping of the gum they gave me.

  My favorite people at the Kingdom Hall, and to this day, have been elderly people. And while I am getting up there myself, I sure hope that the example that they set for me will resonate forever more. They were kind, loving, patient, and compassionate to me while my own life was chaotic, dysfunctional, and harsh. Whenever an elderly person would offer to my Mother for me to sit with them, my Mother said yes, and I was pampered, babied and loved. That, and I got to hear a lot of great stories about the "old days." I loved them then, and I love them now.

  My favorite was an annointed sister from Colorado. She was 96 years old then. She had a huge ranch in Colorado, and the congregation was invited up there once a year for BBQ, softball, and fun. We had a great time. That was in the late 60's, early 70's. But the stories that that sister would tell me of the "old days" in that small mining town in colorado, before she was a Witness, would just thrill me. I loved her dearly.

  Since then, I have still found that my fascination with the elderly has continued. I have a bunch of friends that are in their 70's and 80's in my small town that I meet for coffee every day and they tell me wonderful tales of what it used ot be like here in this small bend in the river, and I love it. Life is sweet, and for whatever it means... I can learn alot from them and appreciate every day that they take the time to spend with me...

  CG
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  AuntieJane

  This is a refreshing post, thanks for sharing it. Too bad most of us don't value the gifts the elderly have to share with us. They are priceless.

  One of my co-workers takes her kids to the nursing home as part of their 4-H reading project once a week. They take turns reading to individual patients; she says the kids are learning more from this project than any others. One of the ladies is a retired school teacher and will correct/help the kids on their pronunciation, etc. The kids were not impressed at first, and now they have respect for her and love to read to her!
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  coffee_black

  I agree. When I was about 10 I had a Bible Study with lady in her early 90s. She agreed to it because she got a kick out of a 10 year old teaching her. She had been a school teacher and had so many interesting stories to tell. At 96 she lived alone and still mowed her own lawn and tended her own garden. My aunt is 83 and still works almost full time. She drives a little red car...and she makes me smile often.

  Coffee
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  candidlynuts

  i still love the elderly women from my old hall.. we had a few that were best friends for many many years.. they've slowly been dying off and its heartbreaking.. they pioneered together, raised their kids in the truth together, stuck with violent men, all because the END IS NEAR.. and still they stayed cheerful, helpful, loving women. truly godly women.

  the stories they can tell from the " old " days are amazing.
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  undercover

  Good post. I remember a lot of the older ones from when I was small. I have fond memories of many of them...but that's all I have is memories.

  You see, the vast majority of them have died. I went to the memorial and I looked around to try to recognize as many faces as possible and it hit me, all the older ones who were so faithful all those years, who believed, really believed, that they would live to see the new system have died.

  I see that their children, my parents and their peers, are now the elderly ones. This new generation of older ones now believes that they will see the new system before dying. It's sad to see them waste their twilight years but they have been in for so long and are so comfortable with it that it might do more damage than good to bust their bubble.

  So your post is a good reminder that, despite some philosophical differences, we can still appreciate older ones and enjoy their company while we still have them around to enjoy.
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  the_classicist

  I notice that a lot of the more elderly ones always focus more on Jesus. I remember an extremely eldery elder who once talked about "Jesus' crucifixtion." That made the Kingdom Hall go silent. Considering that he was a JW since the 20's or before, it would seem that they used to use that kind of terminology.
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  TheOneBuck

  The elderly totally kicked ass!!!!! Those are the ones who should be elders. There were two old guys that I totally kicked it with. I would be totally honest with these guys, I mean everything. They would laugh and be like well, try to do better. Always made me feel good and preached how Jehovah loves us and we can be forgiven for our sins. They did not get so caught up in insignificant BS and just tried to show that God is love. They were so refreshing, it was unreal. I still talk them to this day... tell them everything. Even they both say they wish I was back, they are pround of who I am, and said trust in Jehovah, he will make things right.

  It is funny whenever would be giving me grieve those 2 would always have a story of what they (the elders) were like as kids and stuff... they would be like do not worry what those people think.. keep it real with Jehovah and everything will be cool....
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  Country Girl

  Thank heaven for all of your wonderful posts. The elderly are so often forgotten in the congregations, even when they are the source of the most wise and timely wisdom that we could ever get! I have always loved my elderly neighbors and friends because .. well.. they are just so REAL, like the previous poster said. They just state it like it is.. that is what I h ave come to appreciate over time.

  My husband calls them my "old boyfriends" ... I call them my "wise counselors." HEHEHHE. Like I told *my* teenage son over a couple of years ago "Nothing is new under the sun." Because nothing is new under the sun, they've been there, done that, got the t-shirt and sent it to the Goodwill! I am glad that I had the opportunity to meet them and find out what life is REALLY about on this bend of the river.

  CG