To the elderly man eating alone:
I noticed you as soon as I was seated just a booth over with my best friend. As soon as we sat, she started talking in her usual excited tone about a boy she met at a party the previous night, but I could barely focus on the words she spoke because I was so focused on you. Not in a creepy way, of course. Something about you just intrigued me. I couldn't help but observe and inquire as to why such a kind looking man was eating alone. What's your story? I couldn't help but wonder.
After some curious observation, my eyes focused back on my friend as she continued on with her story, completely unaware of the unaccompanied man sitting just a few feet away. In the corner of my eye, I saw you put down your menu. Swiftly glancing over, I noticed the worn look on your face, a permanent sense of wistfulness buried deep in the lines across your face. Unlike most, you didn't have a smartphone with endless applications to mindlessly click through while you waited for your order to be taken; instead, you sat with your elbows resting on the table, hands folded together as you stared earnestly at the empty seat across from you. My mind ran through the limitless possibilities of who you were wishing to be in that seat, and a part of it wishes it was me just so I could take the time to find out.
People of my generation, and even the upcoming generation, often overlook the elderly community. Due to their decreasing physical and sometimes mental abilities, it is easily forgotten how much experience and wisdom they have under their belt. However, many of the eye opening life lessons that I've learned over my 19 years have stemmed from conversations I've struck up with elderly people in my community, and it's disheartening to see that this plethora of knowledge they offer is so often pushed aside.
After a recent Twitter uproar over a photo posted by a teen of her grandpa with the caption, "Pawpaw made 6 hamburgers for each of his grandkids and I was the only one to show," the subject of the elderly and our tendency to disregard them has come to light. With this topic being so widely talked about over social media, I highly encourage that if you are lucky enough to have your grandparents around, do not take them for granted. Take them out to lunch, call them on the phone, heck even Facebook message them. Regardless of whether your grandparents are around or not, I even encourage you to take the time to strike up conversation with the elderly wherever you may come across them. The smallest acts of kindness hold such high merit to them, and you could be surprised at all the stories and lessons they have to offer you if you just take a moment to listen.
To the elderly man eating alone: I wish I had the courage to sit down across from you and talk the day away. I wish I had taken the time to ask you what was on your mind, what journeys you have been on and what life has caused you to endure over your years. I can only imagine the story you have to tell, and I sincerely hope there is someone out there who is eager to listen.
