At the train station, the boys walked by swiftly and then, I saw shaky teary old lady….
Life has a basic trajectory which it follows toiling in a continuous transition of personalities regardless of gender. Life is generally accepted to be in stages in relation to age and status. It can almost be assumed that all parents envisage or look forward to, being a grandparent someday as it is a blessing and enormous achievement for many. The presence of a new life has a way of changing even a stronghold of enmity within a family, diffuse heated situations, soften enraged hearts and enhances unity.
A newborn is a miracle that never wears out, neither can one get used to it without being a victim of its ever positive effect in the normal cycle of life. It evolves into a new phase when the birth is in the second generation. Grandparents grow soft on all sides upon the birth of their grandchildren. They get more tolerant and accommodating, more open-minded and forgiving, more selfless and hospitable.
Unfortunately, life is quite complex and has its way of frustrating our existence. Some teenagers can’t even tolerate or stand their old one capitalizing on flimsy excuses ranging from being old school, talking out of context, to being ugly, walking feebly, and even a general assumption of being evil.
Where did we miss it? What went wrong? Is our society sowing seeds of contempt? Is civilization a tool against the old folks? Hostility to a grandparent is not just inhuman, it is mental torture, domestic violence that needs swift action.