Respect long due...I will admit, as would most teenagers, I wasn't terribly thrilled that I was going to my aunt Jeans 80th birthday. I wasn't ever terribly close to her, but for respect reasons, I sucked it up and went. However what I realised through the day through deep reminiscence, that it's not only about respect.
With it being a suprise party, my 80 year old Aunt awoke to no birthday calls(so as to build suspence, you know how suprise partys work..). Imagen being an 80 year old woman and mother, who has given love to everyone she knew her whole life. A completely selfliss person (please dont confuse with selfISH),who wanted nothing more, NOTHING more, than to know that every person she meets is loved. But with no calls in the morning, although she wouldnt admit it to everyone, we all know, that if you recieved no calls on your birthday...well enough said...
But further more, i state this not to digress, but instead to enhance the point that, when she walked into that room to see a HOUSE full of people for her, to celebrate her, she cried. She cried and, I can't quite grasp the feeling she must have felt because I feel it only comes with expierence, living life to the fullest, you EARN such a feeling. And to see that beautiful 80 year old womans face light up the way it did, and to see what can only unarguably be catagorized as tears of joy, the dread for what was "My old aunts birthday", became pure blissfulness at what I would then catagorize as "My beautiful, 80 year old Aunts life celebration". As cheesy as that may sound, I think it comes with respect long due.
But all in all, instead of looking at the situation today as a birthday party, it turned into a celebration, as i said, of a beautiful life. Of a BEAUTIFUL, SELFLESS, KIND, LOVING, CARING, and all together personable 80 year old woman. A person who I have trouble classifying as just an "elder", for the personality she has deserves so much more respect then any normal person nowadays. For the world has become far too impersonal, where this beautiful soul longs for making people happy, mending hearts. And above all, she really has that one smile that makes you feel like the most important person in the world, and, in my opinion, it can only come from the purest, most loving of souls.
So, I guess my reason for writing this, is for me, reflection so that, next time I may look at things from a different way, I may look at them in a more open, respectful way. I now feel honored that I was allowed to be a part of such a celebration. And as for who ever reads this, I ask not for you to look at it as "some kid who likes his old folk" but, instead, reminice yourself, and think, am I really aknowlegeing the respect long due?
Happy Tears
