This Wednesday (August 21) is National Senior Citizen Day.

It is crucial, now more than ever, that we stand up for these Seniors and show them love.

This is the the generation who paved  the way for us, often with little more than hard work and determination.

This is the generation who lived and laughed and loved, creating future generations to populate the world.

This is the generation who taught us, our parents, even our grandparents how to cook, fish, sew…

They taught the value of hard work and the art of compromise.

They showed how to give 100% when you already feel spent.

They are our living ancestors and we shouldn’t wait until they are lowered in the ground to honor them.

Job 12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

When my kids were younger, I’d save up baby jars and we would tie ribbons around the tops and paint them. We’d fill them with peppermints and bring them to nursing homes to distribute to the residents.

The joy on their faces is something I’ll never forget.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned that many residents of nursing homes are forgotten. They have no loved ones visiting, no letters, no gifts.

There are some seniors living alone in their homes, without even the daily interaction with staff or other residents.

My neighbor was one such man.

He passed away in his chair and it wasn’t until the mailman noticed mail piling up that a wellness check was performed. He’d been there for three days.

We all dropped the ball there.

Look around you. You can make a big difference by doing something small.

Here are a few ideas:

• Visit a nursing home or assisted living facility
• Bring in trash cans for an elderly neighbor
• Cut the grass (or better yet, hire a teenager to cut the grass, helping both) for an elderly neighbor
• Offer your services (cutting hair, playing piano) for a senior citizen facility
• Volunteer with a seniors organization like Meals on Wheels
• Have your children, grandchildren, or students make cards to distribute to a senior citizen facility. (They get cards and singing groups at Christmas; they need a JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE WORTH IT card!)
• Pay a canteen fee for a senior (Many are on fixed incomes and can’t afford the luxury of a vending machine or concession treat.)
• Call a hospice chaplain and ask for info on someone you can pray for. (They won’t be able to give you the name but you can get enough info to pray.)