Why I Don’t ‘Respect My Elders’ Even Though My Immigrant Parents Made Me
The East and West battle inside me.
The other day, I was leaving the grocery store when I saw a white man in his late 60’s carrying a bunch of bags also head towards the exit.
I politely asked him,
“Sir, would you like some help?”
He sneered,
“No thanks. I can do just fine. I’m not as old as you think I look.”
I’m shocked at his response so I don’t say anything. He walked on but I stopped to ponder,
“What just happened?”
I thought he would have been pleased to have me help him, that it showed a sign of respect and he would appreciate the gesture. However, instead, it appeared as though I offended him, doing the opposite of what I had intended.
The negative and positive connotations associated with the term ‘old’
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘old’?
Frail, feeble, vulnerable, decrepit, senile, elderly, senior, weak, dependent, obsolete, revered, wise, respected, insightful, sage, enlightened, legendary, master, Yoda…
