Senior Citizen Day 2018
Photo by Alex Harvey ???????? on Unsplash

 

Today is National Senior Citizen’s Day!

Every year around this time, I post that statement.

It’s true. This Day, which came into existence in August 1988, was established by President Ronald Reagan’s Proclamation 5847 to “recognize and show appreciation for the value and contribution of elderly people to home, family and society.”

Announcement of this day shows up on calendars and last-page news stories every year on August 21st.

But, showing up on our calendars is all that happens!

I don’t know what my expectations are about this day, but I guess I have some. Do I think we should receive cards, flowers, or other gifts because we’ve made it this far? Not when my biggest complaint about Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Grandparent’s Day is the commercialization without sincere sentiment.

Perhaps senior citizens are recognized on this date in some communities across the US, but I’ve never heard of such events.

Whether something happens or not — nationally or in my neighborhood — I can’t let it go by without at least mentioning it — seniors being the subject of this blog and all! But I get tired of rehashing the details of how it came to be without any news of ways it is being recognized or celebrated. One year I even suggested things to do to acknowledge elders but … nothing!

This day, which commemorates the elderly in our country, was undoubtedly established by a senior citizen. I mean, can you picture some 40-year-old executive or a 20-year-old grandchild thinking, “Hey, we need to establish a day acknowledging our elder community members.”? And let’s make that day in August when more vacationers are on the road and it’s the slow-moving elders who are keeping us from zipping along on the freeway to our destinations of fun in the sun, so we’re a little impatient with them right now! [That last sentence is just to see if you’re paying attention!]

Anyway, I’d love your thoughts about what National Senior Citizens’ Day means to you, if anything, and how you would like to see it celebrated.

Today Senior Citizens Day 2018 comes and goes.

Perhaps I shouldn’t care, but let’s love it, lionize it, or lose it!