Comments on: My mother takes a walk https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/ A blog about political change, among other things Sun, 16 Mar 2008 03:51:43 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Trey https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60593 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:53:40 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60593 What a charming story, and so well written. Thank you for sharing it, and your blessings. Reading it made me miss my parents a bit more, but gave me a deep, warm feeling in my heart as well.

Thanks.

Trey

]]> By: Ymarsakar https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60521 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:44:52 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60521 I think she just got tired of waiting around for the attendant, and decided that–like the Little Red Hen–she would (and could) do it herself.

And therein laid the key. If someone feels safe and comfortable in one spot, then they won’t like moving to another spot, even if it is better. However, if things become too uncomfortable or annoying, then people suddenly acquire this desire, this motivation and will, to get something done.

The same applies to warfare. When things are good, people get complacent. When things are bad, people get motivated to get stuck in or help out or improve upon the status quo. If their shopping at the mall is uncomfortable and what they see on tv isn’t, then the mall will be their natural choice.

]]> By: Sergey https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60501 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:02:40 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60501 Everybody can do more than one usually does. The only problem is motivation. We all prefer comfort and leisure, so do not push themselves hard enough. To make extraordinary effort is hard in any age, but for very old this is especially hard. I was amazed when my father in his eighties built a new country house almost without any help, only by using powered tools instead usual hand tools like saws and bench axes. But after four years in trenches at WWII, he developed a habit to do everything himself. Hardly I would be able in his age to do the same. His generation is called great not without a reason.

]]> By: kevino https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60497 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:57:08 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60497 I thank you for sharing that wonderful story, and I thank your Mom for demonstrating resilience and spirit. Our family is struggling with parents who are sliding downhill and won’t move closer to the family so that we can keep them out of assisted living (which they would hate) and give them more time with the family. This story came at a good time for me. Thanks.

]]> By: Gray https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60466 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:55:45 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60466 We can talk about our national and global victories and defeats, but it’s the small personal victories that really count.

I wish your mom, and you, the very best. Thank you for the story.

]]> By: Fausta https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60450 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:48:37 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60450 I am very very happy to hear it. My father refused to do much or any activity and his decline was marked from that point on.

And my compliments to your mom on her excellent decision.

]]> By: Occam's Beard https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60432 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:19:41 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60432 Very uplifting story, neo.

My mother (86) seeks out and cultivates disability. She can walk, but doesn’t and won’t any more than she absolutely has to. She has been that way for over 30 years, and now has so little muscle tone that she has trouble even with a walker. Getting other people to do things for her – even things she doesn’t especially want done – is one of her great joys of life, kind of like getting a dog to do tricks. As a consequence, all of her friends and neighbors (she’s still in her home) avoid her like the plague.

I have (stubbornly?) refused to accept the “she’s too old to change” perspective, and subtly try to force her to walk a bit more (“this looks like the closest parking space”), as well as adopting the passive aggressive “slow service” strategy of your mom’s assisted living home, both in hopes of getting her to do more, not less.

I live in hope that she will have the kind of “road to Damascus” epiphany your mother had.

]]> By: Webutante https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60429 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:45:37 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60429 What a heartening story of your mother. Guess it sometimes takes a while for those seeds that are planted to grow to fruition. At least that’s how it is in my life.

]]> By: Truth https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60395 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 07:18:07 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60395 Neo such a nice piece ever I read in your blog.

I wish your mother all the best and I pray for her to be good and well Insha’Allah.

]]> By: SteveH https://thenewneo.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60393 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 07:04:43 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/03/08/my-mother-takes-a-walk/#comment-60393 Our parents seem to teach us stuff till the bitter end. My mom still teaches me and shes been dead 10 years.

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