We visited Lakeside on Saturday.  At first I was skeptical, because I was really tired and quite frankly, had no desire to deal with people, especially those who would need a lot of care.  However, after some time there, I wanted to help them.
The Native American dancing and ritual was entertaining, more so because I was friends with the kids playing the bear and the eagle, and they looked so pained by the experience.  My job was to sit on the side and play some instruments, one which was a hollowed piece of bamboo with scratches on the side, so that when I rubbed a stick over it, it made clicks, the other was a xylophone with a few notes missing.  I did feel kind of bad for my friends just because I knew they weren't enjoying themselves.  Personally, I wasn't that bothered by this presentation, but then again, I wasn't chosen to be an actor, so I guess I'm not in a position to know how they felt.
Now this leads me to another point, at which I must say that quite frankly, I do not know how to feel.  I have no problem taking care of people.  I do it with friends and family, and overall, I just enjoy helping others.  I could relate to all of these elderly people.  However, it was kind of painful.  I mean, these men and women, who once lived full, no doubt exhaustingly full lives, now sat in a old age home.  You could see many once-bright eyes have a little glaze over them.
Although I'm sure they are all still intelligent, very capable people, they all came together for this presentation, which was of the type that people my age received in elementary school.  These elderly people were treated as children.  I understand that a few have that mindset, but almost all of these people could have shared amazing stories about their lives.
Now, I have respect for these people, every last one, which is why this bothered me so much.  Seventy, eighty, ninety years for so much to happen, so much love and pain, so many thoughts and ideas and experiences, and instead of having the respect to listen to them, to treat them with that dignity I'm sure almost all the elderly deserve, we assisted with an elementary school show.  I heard that last time was arts and crafts, and that witches were made out of clothespins.  I do not mean to say that there isn't some sort of light in their lives when students come to visit.  I'm sure they love company and attention.  I just think it's kind of scary and cruel: bring them into the world as children, and then reduce them to that point again before they leave.  I would not want to place my grandmother there, for example.  She is in her mid-seventies, but until maybe a year ago was extremely active in events for the Republican party.  She would travel across the U.S., take flights, spend hours at a time, years of her life on this.  Now, I don't agree with the republican party on just about anything.  That doesn't matter.  What matters is that my respect for her is almost boundless, because she found something she loved, that she felt strongly about, and she contributed until she was too tired to keep working.
Each of the people there had so much to contribute.  I could tell by just the man nearest to me.  He was curious as to Greg's major and other things, and he himself had studied horticulture.  I'm glad that we made them feel better if we did, I really am.  If I ever go back there though, I think I would prefer to sit down with someone, and listen to them tell me about their life, about their experience and wisdom.  Just because they are elderly does not make them any less human, and I bet each one has a whole world of things to tell you about, if you take the time to listen.  So feel free to have leaming sessions about Native Americans, to make crafts like witches out of clothespins.  I'm glad it gives them something to do.  But outside of a little entertainment, and flashy fun, and new things, I wonder how much we offer...