Old Age Day by Day February 17, 2013

Some friends and my husband and I saw the film "Amour" last night.  It's amazing.  The acting is first rate and the subject:  old age and death, not something we see on the screen in any meaningful way.  And this particular couple depicted are victims of Western culture's shame and revulsion at old age and death.  They see themselves as "independent" instead of in a life stage where they need help.  Asking for help is shameful.  So they implode on each other, isolating themselves and hiding like criminals.  The daughter is no help, as she is uncomfortable and afraid to alter the balance of power, which compassion would have forced her to do, if she wasn't unwilling to step up to the plate.  She's teary and pitying, which they do not need and cannot use.  The tragedy of this couple is in their attitude towards life changes and the transition towards death.  This is the story, in general terms, of many elderly in our country as well.  People treat them as if they are children, take away their dignity, or abandon them for their own selfish lives.  Our culture forgets how interdependent the generations are, and how much help is needed and must be fluid between the different life stages and/or circumstances.  There are so many beautiful scenes in this movie, but notice the slow panning of closeups of the couple's paintings, near the end.  The eternal dance of life and death and the brief beauty of life is showcased.  Everything changes.  We are a part of this flowing, changing river of life, and we'd best feel the water while it washes over us.