An Elder Folk

When I started out on this Facebook Road, I had no idea where it would take me or where I’d end up. But on this journey, I’ve met many people, some I never want to lose and some, I’ve had to unfriend, not many of those though.

From 2009, traveling 16 years on this road, there have been many changes, but the avenue remains. New scenes arise and a little of the old ways continue to keep us entertained. I’ve never met the designers or the ones working behind the curtain, I just know they are always working, listening and watching. They’re like the old peddler going from house to house promoting his goods and services. They’ve found a way to penetrate every aspect of our lives and minds, enticing us to tell things we’d never reveal with an eye to eye, real life person. And yet here we are, face to face, sharing our deepest emotions to strangers we call friends.

It doesn’t seem so invasive though, as friendships are cultivated day in and day out.

Humorous memes, family pictures of babies, and pets displayed with great admiration, groups of every walk of life. History shared for all the world to see as it maps places from sea to shining sea…north, south, east and west…a world to explore. Personal stories, along with music, all come alive on this road of secrets no longer hidden within.

Likes and loves and laughs and tears galore, Oh, my! Accepted now, as a way of life.

I don’t know why, but I felt I needed to write something about it today.

You have all, become, a part of my everyday life.

I sit most days contemplating things. I’m 71 years old. I don’t sleep much at night, and I sleep late in the day. My husband, Bob, still works a full-time job at home with his computer, and that’s OK, really. But I can’t seem to find my purpose anymore.

An illness and age restrict me. If I try to explain how I feel to anyone, well, they don’t understand so I keep quiet.

I pray, a, lot and I know He (Papa) always listens, and He blesses me more than I deserve. Still, I feel alone. I know He’s always with me. But like someone once said, “I need a meat, on some bones, someone.” I do get phone calls from people needing prayer and I cherish those times. God is good!

I know we all have our secret desires and thoughts. The elder folk are living in a-space-in-between.

“I’m too old to be young, and too young to be old.” As Evelyn said in, ‘Fried Green Tomatoes.”

I can’t drive anymore. I can’t sing like I use to; horsey throat came along. Sitting too long causes my sugar to go up. So, writing and reading are limited. Walking makes me want to fall down. Yet I know I must move to keep my strength up. I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. I’m not giving up though. I do have a strong will, and Holy Spirit is my helper.

So, I’ll keep going through the motions. I’ll go until I can’t go any longer and then I’ll go home.

I’m not complaining mind you; I just need to vent. And since Facebook isn’t really real, LOL! It is the perfect place to vent.

Maybe some of you can relate.

In my youth, when I’d be around the elder folk. I used to wonder why they walked like they did. Bent, slow and shuffling their feet. Why they were constantly telling stories from their past. Why they couldn’t eat certain foods and why they smelled funny. Well not funny, but different.

I wondered why they couldn’t cut their toenails and why the women wore funky, baggy clothes. Polyester pants with elastic waist bands and blouses with pockets. You’d never see them in blue jeans and tank tops. I wondered why the ladies didn’t want to wear a bra and why my uncle chopped his food into tiny little pieces in order to eat.

Why it was that the elder folk seemed to yell at each other and why they couldn’t get in and out of the bathtub without help.

Why they would make up silly little words, like, blah, blah, blah, when they tried to express themselves and couldn’t remember where they put things. They were constantly saying, “I use to~”

Now, I know.

Getting older is a blessing. It is not for wimps or the faint of heart. It is a challenge every single day just to roll over in bed and getting out of the bed is a workout in itself.

So, I sit in quiet, and solitude and I wait for the hours to pass. Weather I’m here or not the hours will continue to go bye.

Young people, if I could only help you understand. Don’t take youth for granted. Don’t waste precious time. Once time is spent it can never be regained, it’s gone forever.

I used to sing a song, (There is that use too I was talking about.) I’d sing “One day at a time.” It was my signature song. I sang it many times in my youth as a solo in Church. Now looking back, I see it was prophetic.

I’m only human, I’m just a woman, Lord, help me believe in all that I am and all I can be, show me the stairway I have to climb, Lord for my sake, teach me to take, One day at a time.

One day at a time sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking from you. Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine, Lord, help me today, show me the way, One day at a time.

Lord, I know you remember, as you walked among men, well Jesus you know as you’re looking below, it’s much worse now, than then, pushing and shoving clouding my mind, Lord, for my sake teach me to take, one day at a time.

It’s only at the end, well, maybe not the end just yet, but it’s not until many years later that you begin to realize what life is all about. Where it has taken you and where you are at this point.

Take it from an elder folk enjoy your life. Do the thing, you think you can’t and be kind to everyone you meet. We are all on this journey.

Make your journey meaningful.

You’ll have many, many disappointments. Let it go, forgive and move on.

The choices you make in your youth will determine what memories you’ll have when your youth has been spent. Spend it wisely.

There is absolutely no way for me to stress to you what the elder folk’s life, is, like, because you haven’t gotten there yet, but I can tell you from experience, I know what it is to be young and I know what it is to be elder…please, take my word for it and heed my instruction…enjoy the good times, have faith in the hard times and embrace the moments you’ve been blessed with. It will be gone before you know it. Did you just blink? That is how fast it goes. You’ll be there in a blink of an eye. I’ll be in heaven then.

Now, where did I put my phone, I need to call my boys! I miss them and love them more than all the time in the world or time to come!

Love,

An Elder folk

~Marla Shaw O’Neill March 24, 2025

Psalm 37:25 King James Version I have been young and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Ecclesiastes 3 King James Version To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: