::Growing Old::

after dinner last night, i walked the orchard underpass and was on my way home. the streets were almost deserted because it was pretty late, say about 10.30pm odd. there was this handicapped man who was blind and was standing in the middle of this flight of stairs, hoping to sell some tissue packs. figured he didn't know he was in the middle of nowhere because he couldn't quite see. i felt sorry for him almost immediately and i had wanted to help him. but i wasn't sure if i should because i was alone, and besides, i'm a girl.
i called dear, who was doing his guard duty, and told him about it. he said that it was ok because i was alone and a girl at that. he said that if he was with me, we would be able to help the poor man together. with that, i felt better, but the uneasiness didn't go away until some time.
then it occured to me, why didn't that this poor man have anyone with him? where was his family? his parents, brothers or sisters? why was he alone? so sad... then i also thought about all those old uncles and aunties collecting empty drink cans at hawker centers, and old aunties cleaning the toilets. also those at hawker centers clearing the bowls and cleaning the tables, and others collecting worthless cupboards hoping to earn some money for survival. where were their children? have they done something bad in the earlier part of their lives to deserve working at such a ripe age? shouldn't you be enjoying with your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren at this ripe age? my heart really goes out to them.
hopefully when i do have a family on my own, i can teach my children well to learn to love my parents and not shun them away just because they are old. and i will give the best to my parents who have brought me up this far and taught me this well. sometimes the thought of growing old scares me, but if i have my deardear by my side, as a witness for my life, i will not fear. *smilez* and that was taken from the movie Shall We Dance? when asked why do two people get married, Susan Sarandon's answer was, "so that either party can bear witness to each other's life". thought that was rather true, and decided to quote it. anyway, i'm officially brain-dead, and thus ends this post.