Elderly Alone

I've said many times that I write about this topic, but I've always avoided doing it to avoid stirring up discussions. However, I think it's time to address it, as someone might need to hear it, and maybe someone will learn a life lesson from the mistakes of others. When I was hospitalized, a charming old man was brought to the bed next to mine (at least that's how he seemed during our time together, along with his wife, who visited him). Anyway, what I want to say is that he once shared a story about moving to Constan?a during the Ceau?escu era and deciding to build a big house with around 9 rooms or something like that. He said he wanted to have children. So, he built that large house with the intention that their children would have a place to live without having to search for or build their own home, even if they were to have families and children of their own. However, his children grew up, left home, and settled abroad where they started their own families. They didn't want to hear about Romania anymore, and that large house was now mostly empty because there was no one to live there. And I wonder... why did this happen? Could it be that the old man did what other parents do, telling his children to do as he pleased, and when they said no, he tried other methods? And when they refused and he ran out of arguments... he resorted to that famous line, "As long as you're under my roof, you'll do as I say," the cliché line parents use when they run out of arguments but are too stubborn and proud to leave things up to your choice... because a parent always has the final say... and then they say, "They're older, they know better than you." And if that's the case... then could that be the reason why the house is empty? And if so, if it's their fault... why do they complain that their children left and don't want to come back? I don't know... maybe I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure many young people think the same way... In this life, I've learned two things: every person should have the right to an opinion and choose what's best for them... not to choose their mother, father, brother, sister, or whoever else... because each of us has different thoughts, experiences, senses, needs, and so on. And secondly, if you force someone to do what you want, they may swallow it once, twice, three times, until they give in, and then consequences arise. And when those consequences appear... it's better to stay quiet and swallow it, and stop complaining or blaming others... because some things you bring upon yourself in life. Own up to them... we are responsible for our own actions (or should be) and for what comes after...