By Francis Quamina Farrier

October is observed as “The Month of the Elderly” and in this article, we will discuss a bit about growing older and still enjoying life to the best of our mental and physical ability. First, let me remind you of the headline of one of my previous articles, which focused on elders, and which had the statement, “This Elderly Gentleman welcomes age Eighty.” That was a personal declaration.

Some five years later, here I am, still writing my weekly articles in the Chronicle Pepperpot Magazine and seeing the continuing developments and trials and tribulations, not only here in our beautiful Guyana but in other countries around our wonderful world. At this time, there is deadly conflict in the Middle East. The Jews and Muslims, sadly, are at it again. Somehow, one wonders how it is that over in neighbouring Suriname, a Muslim mosque and a Jewish temple have been co-existing peacefully for many decades. No doubt, the Faithful hear each other at prayers, yet that is no reason for physical conflict. Jews and Muslims were living together in peace and harmony for decades and decades.

Unfortunately, the BBC, CNN and other powerful and influential media houses have never heard of that wonderful reality in Suriname. Or, could it be that they do know about it but feel that such peaceful relationships are not newsworthy? That is certainly a lesson for their brothers and sisters in the Middle East. The elderly, with their many years of life and living – in so many instances, through some rather times – can attest to the fact that “LOVE” for others is paramount. Guyana’s own National Motto states in part, “To Love my Fellow Citizens.”

Over the years, I have had very close contact and relations with the elderly here in Guyana as well
as abroad. My history-making Radio Programme series, THE EIGHTY PLUS CLUB, was on the air for a duration of fifteen years. During that time, I interviewed Elders in all the ten Regions of Guyana.

In one instance, the person was an Indigenous Guyanese woman who was residing in the deep South Rupununi. She did not speak English, only her own Indigenous language. As such, the interview was conducted with the assistance of an interpreter. I also interviewed elders in the majority of the Caribbean islands and beyond. Interviews were done in the United States and Canada, as well as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. I also did a few interviews in Ghana. While the stories varied somewhat, there was one universal element: the joy of those elders who were being interviewed and of them being given the opportunity to relate the stories of their younger years. Many were the occasions when an aspect or more evoked laughter.

For example, there was the gentleman in Berbice who related a romance he had with a girl in his church. “We never got physically close.” He informed me. That, of course, prompted me to ask him how did they speak to each other, since that was decades before the invention of the cell phone. “We spoke with our eyes” he explained, with a boyish smile on his mature face. His eyes seemed to reflect happy events from his youthful, innocent past.

There were some occasions when there were tears in the eyes of those who I interviewed. Both tears of joy and tears of sorrow. There were also occasions when the information which was shared with me, was being heard for the very first time by relatives. A retired school teacher, who was 92 years old at the time I was interviewing her, spoke of the period of her life when she was a pupil teacher, and how she was a victim of the headmaster of the school. Her voice became soft as she related her experiences of seventy years ago. It was as though it was just a month ago.

Her eyes seemed to have gone back in time, reliving the sights and actions of a bully. And the recalling of events in her life when she had nowhere to turn and no one to go to for support and salvation. She was entrapped. As she spoke in a matter-of-fact way, tears were just cascading down her wrinkled cheeks; there was no sound from her. The others in the home at the time seemed to have paused in shock at what they were hearing from the Matriarchic of the family for the very first time. “Well, Mr. Farrier, you make her talk things she never told us!” A family member mentioned to me as I was leaving. It is always good to engage elders in conversations about family history, community, and national history. There is a saying, “A book comes to an end, when an Elder dies.” So, read a human book whenever you can. Have a chat with an elderly person every now and then.