Wow I actually felt so much power and story from this song. I see why she agreed to not sign a record deal, because I am sure that she pleased plenty of people by just singing for Jesus. The song talks about a really sad but real thing that happens in our society. As people age and need taken care of they are more likely to be taken care of by daughters. In this case the mother had two sons: one that got into a lot of trouble and one that went to college and became a doctor. The doctor is the son that ended up taking her in to live with them. Something that unfortunately happens a lot is the people in the house thinking that they are getting in the way. This is hard to relate to at my age but I have an idea of a situation. This results in a lot of the elderly being put in nursing homes when they don’t need to be which has many problems. For me its really sad that this has to be true yet I understand you love your parents and you don’t always want to be around them. What I thought was interesting about the song was that when the doctor son started taking her to the nursing home the other brother who caused her all the trouble when he was younger showed up. Even though he wasn’t as rich as the doctor he offered his home out to his mother instead of going to a nursing home. She wasn’t at the age where she needed to be in a nursing home rather she was just unwanted in her other son’s home. Throughout the song there was so much emotion and rightly so because I would also have a lot of emotions if I was clearly unwanted by my own family. It’s a horrible feeling and something I hope I won’t have to go through with my own children. -curlyhead012
I could never imagine being in need of my families help and some of them not wanting to be there for me. Humans often only care about their life and themselves. I would never want some of my family to not have my back like that. I can not think of a situation where I relate because even though all my grandparents are close to 80 they are all still healthy and can function by themselves. I am very lucky. I feel bad for her because one of the most awful feelings is feeling not wanted or like you do not belong somewhere. gea012
I suppose it would be odd to be in both positions. One being the one to take care of one of you parents. Two being the parent being taken care of. I do not agree with the kid of a parent who needs help being against helping them out that being they took care of you and cared for you as a child. If I had a parent who was a horrible parent then I would never help them even in their older age. If I had a parent who was a good parent then I would feel it is the right thing to do after that parent has always been there for you and raised you. It is a shame sending a human with feelings to a nursing home when they are not even in that critical of conditions. They are humans too and one day they will not be here so how could you treat your parent like that? That doctor was where he was by part of his mothers doing, so why wouldn't you give the deed back? Maybe at times children of parents who are in need to live with you see it as one more responsibility or thing to deal with, which I understand, but it is the fact it is the right thing to do. Why make them struggle and feel unwanted when you could simply take a little part out of your day everyday to help them out in your house. Doesn't it seem the richer are the ones who have the larger ability to help out but are the ones who never do? The ones who are not as well off in life seem to be the more helpful ones.. maybe because they can relate and the well off do not take the consideration of others or try to relate and think if they were them. gea012
I think you make a good point that the ones who are less well off tend to take care of their parents. I do think that it's because they relate to what their parent went through when raising them. I think its also partly that the less well off son in this situation has some regret from his childhood. He was the one who caused so much trouble for his mom when he was younger but now he realizes how much he didn't appreciate her. I don't think anyone should have to go through the feeling of being unwanted though, especially in this story with her own son who seemed like he'd always be there for her. -curlyhead012
This song has so much power and meaning behind it in my opinion. If I was Shirley Caesar, I don’t think I would’ve signed for any record label either. I think it is powerful because I feel that some mothers do go through this and it probably happens more than what we hear about. I wasn’t expecting for the doctor to put his own mother in a home. Then when the troubled son came and offered his home to his mother really surprised me. The ones that don’t have much, offer more than the ones who have a lot and don’t offer anything. I’ve joked about putting my mom in a home, which I would never do. She turns around and tells me that she’ll disown me. It is a pretty bad joke but she knows that I don’t mean it. The way I see it, they took care of us so we should return the favor when the time comes or if need be. There are some elderly people that can still take care of themselves but in many cases, we do hear about the ones that were placed in nursing homes. Some would rather be left alone in the comfort of their own home than to be placed somewhere where they can’t do what they want to do when they want to. I can see the justification of putting a loved one in a home because the person that was trying to take care of them, has a job and can’t be there when the loved one needs it. I personally believe that family would never get in the way of anything. Our parents didn’t say that we got in the way when they were taking care of us. I could never say that to my mother. The fact that it would be a complete stranger taking care of my mother alone scares me. We hear about the elderly abuse that happens at the nursing home and I just couldn’t risk that. Family comes first to me so I wouldn’t put a job before family. -Chewbacca012
I totally agree with you. You have some wonderful thoughts and things to share here! It came off as surprising for me to that the successful son became the one that left the dear Mama alone instead of the son that had caused her so much trouble to raise. This son was appalled when the older son proposed that the Mama be put into an old folks home. I would agree with you too that I wouldn't put my Mama into an old folks home for fear of the things that could happen to Mama. The living conditions can be less than ideal. Great job! -THEARSONIST012
There is no doubt that Ms. Shirley Caesar does not beat around the bush! She got directly to the point, with a lot of emotion, power, and feeling. Through the uproar, however, she makes a very valid point. We should respect our elders! Our culture, unlike other cultures, seems to be slightly off track when it comes to taking care of and respecting our elders. Instead of being valued above all others, they are often degraded, mocked, and left alone. I have heard many say that there is no dignity in growing old and dying, but it is our duty as people who were raised by our elders and will one day reach the end ourselves to care for these people. Instead of being a virtuous cycle, it is starting to become a vicious cycle.
Another excellent point she makes in the song is about which son came back to care for his mother. Initially, you would've thought that it would've been the first son who was responsible, educated, and respectful, but instead it was the son that caused his other so much grief. There are a few reasons for this, but one of them is that the first son got caught up in the life he had created for himself. This is a problem in our culture today. People get all wrapped up in the newest technology and “the next best thing” that they don’t take time to stop and realize what they already have. This is possibly why so many elders feel isolated as they get older. Another thing to consider is the second son may have wanted to pour back into his mother because, after all the years, he realized just how much grief he caused her, but the other son, who’s success was financed by his mother, didn’t have time to spare for her.
In some cases, I think raw emotion can detract from a message. In this case though, I think Shirley's passion really cemented the message for me! I agree with your thoughts about our societal respect for elders. To me, they are a valuable asset full of life lessons and advice. To simply abandon them in the late stages of life is a travesty. Another good point you bring up is younger generations getting caught up in the newness of technology, which may leave elderly people feeling inadequate or isolated. While it is generally a challenge to teach an older person how to work a smart phone or an iPad, I do think that they appreciate the lesson because it makes them feel like they are on track with societal progress in technology. -CSP012
I agree with all you said we definitely should respect our elders and that the message she had was powerful and quick to the point. I think it shows a valuable lesson that many young or old individuals could learn from. I also, like you talked about the assumptions some people may have made while listening to the clip thinking that the son who would take of the mother would be the one who had an education and was respectful to her verses the one who caused her grief. In all your response was very well written and I enjoyed reading your opinion. -IDK123012
When thinking about my parents aging, I really try to look at it from both perspectives. Obviously, I love my parents and would do anything for them. However, by the time they get to retirement and maybe nursing home age, I will most likely have a family and career of my own taking up most of my time. Most grandparents I know are fully functional and live independently until the day they die, hopefully the same will be said for my parents. From an aging parent’s perspective, I think they do understand what the child is going through. In fact, the parent probably went through the same internal conflict when their parents reached an elderly age. I do imagine that to the parent, being sent to live in a nursing home feels like being shipped off to death. Even if children come to visit, I doubt the relationships ever feel the same. I think there is definitely judgement against elderly people in our society. Whether it is because we do not think they are productive members (regardless of their production throughout their careers) or simply taking up space, the elderly are not on equal footing with even teenagers in some areas. I for one believe that our elderly people should be respected simply for the knowledge they have about life. No one else has experienced as much life as them, and I know that they always have valuable lessons to be taught. While not necessarily up to the levels that Asian cultures use, I do think that our elderly citizens need a much higher level of respect. In most cases, we consider them aging to mean a loss of intelligence and reasoning, often resulting in us not taking them seriously. However, the opposite is true, and I feel it is only respectful to treat them with respect in the latter stages of life. -CSP012
I find that many stereotypes that surround the elderly population are simply not true. I believe that the stereotype we have about older people not being wise or productive only exists because, just like any other stereotype, people do not spend enough time with the people they describe in a general fashion. If people in the United States would just take time to get to know a few people of the older community, I think they would have a very different view of them. I know several older people (like 80 to 90 years old) who are more active then I am. They are all very sweet, but they are not by any means timid, shy, or childlike. They know what they want and what they stand for. I just don’t think that we should judge someone based on age until we experience that stage of life for ourselves. MySliceofthePi012
I personally have some biased judgement towards older people. I'm either scared, respectful or annoyed. But saying older people scare or annoy me is like saying...I don't know, something majorly disrespectful. And that's not the vibe I try to put out. I understand what you mean by putting your parents in a nursing home, as if at some point I'll probably have to do the same. Not like with Dr. White's family, but when my parents reach that mental age when they forget the color blue or something. There's definitely a stigma surrounding older people, as there are with many groups. But there's not much to do about it except put attention to the outliers. For example, an older woman with an Instagram under the name, "BaddieWinkle" dresses in younger people's clothes. Not like high fashion, but think, colorful, small, and tight. Now there's going to be some stigma surrounding her because it's like "old people shouldn't be wearing that,". But really, she's just literally flipping the script.
As I was listening to this song, I had a roller coaster of emotions. For most of the song, I thought that the disobedient and self-interested boy did not care about his mother. I thought I had known that the protagonist of the story was the good boy, who grew up, went to college and became a doctor. My original belief was further supported when the “good” son asked the mother to move in with him and his wife, so that she could help raise their children. Then, when the “good” son mentioned the idea of taking the mother to the old folks’ home, I knew he was not as nice and caring as he portrayed himself to be. I was surprised that the deviant son wanted his mother to come live with him even though he did not have much to offer her expect his love, company, and care. While most parents hope for their children to be able to go further in life then they did or could, I think there can be a great drawback when children end up jumping social classes in an upward direction over the course of their life. They can come to distance themselves with the type of person they used to be. No longer do they treat everyone in the same manner. For example, one of the reasons the son no longer wanted the mother living in his home is because she used poor English, but the son should have grown up around his mother using poor English. At this point in his life the “good” son was more focused on himself and his own family he was raising. I think parents and children grow apart living in different classes. It should not matter who the person is, where they are, or where they come from, if they had good parents to take care of them, then they should reciprocate the action. MySliceofthePi012
It does have you feeling mixed feelings and almost makes you feel you are there an apart of the conversation between the two. It is sad how families can grow apart once they do achieve a higher status in society, the same ways that the mother was treating and raising the sons children was the same in which helped him become who he was. Wealth and power can change a person, they may not notice but with more wealth the old ways and lifestyles change. But the son that stayed in trouble and had not accomplished goals like his brother offered to take his mother into his home which wasn’t much. If everyone would take a moment to see others problems and try to help a situation the world would be taking a step in a better direction. Just me 012
Takes me back to Mississippi, in the song and what I took from it was how she sat and had a conversation with someone’s mother in a nursing home and the lady discussed things about her life and what lead her to be there. It shows how families leave their elders in nursing homes and how they have all these children but yet not one is there for them to help take care of them. I noticed that feminization of poverty was in the song. A single mother raising kids alone working multiple jobs so that the kids want have needs and so that the bills are paid, and maintaining all this while trying to keep them on the right track in life so they can have a place in society. The song also touches on family even after the mother did all she could for her kids, one did make it to become a doctor and went through gender stratification. He let his mother move in and stayed with him and his family, until his wife thought that they didn’t need her around anymore and her ways were starting to affect the children. This is sad but happens a lot now in the society that we are in and when it does the last option is the nursing home. It also shows how once a person’s income or wealth changes how they began to live as those in a higher class and the ways that they once new are no longer there, which brings me to the lower class son who showed deviance but still was there for his mother. It shows how society looks at the lower class and even though he didn’t have the riches of the world he offered the little he did to try to keep her from having to go to the nursing home. I feel he was saying he may have been out of her life and stayed in trouble but when and if she needed him that he was there and not a stranger and not to drive him away. Just me 012
Overall, I enjoyed the video I like how she told a story which the outcome is actually very common to happen in today’s age. Hearing that she had two sons and one of the sons wouldn’t do right meaning he was always in trouble made me want to know where the story was going. Though when her children grew up and one became a doctor and he let his mother live with him, his wife and their kids I was very happy that one of her sons took the responsibility to take care of her. I say this because its apart of life, that’s how the cycle of life goes your parents take of you and you take of your parents when they can’t take care of themselves anymore. Once the wife went to her husband and told him that his mom had to leave because she was speaking broken English around their kids and how she was trying to teach her kids proper English I was speechless. Moreover, the fact that his wife would ask him to do such a thing I mean I have always thought that a man’s mom is an important person in his life and that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her no matter what the situation is and obviously he had hurt his mom in this situation because it was mention that the mom was crying while packing and while leaving in the limo. In the sense that I hope the husband wasn’t to quick to agree with his wife. I understand that a happy wife equals a happy life and that the wife wants the best for her kids though I can’t help but feel as if there could have been another way to resolve the problem. In the end of the story the son who was always in trouble ran into the other son and the mom and decided that even though he didn’t have much to offer and that when he was younger he caused his mother a lot of problems that he wanted to take care of her. I thought that was an awesome and loving thing for him to do. I’m glad that in the end it worked out for the family. -IDK123012
This video is incredibly inspiring and interesting. Miss Shirley Ceasar is very clear in the point she wishes to make. She shares with us that our society has a habit of leaving our elders alone when they reach a certain age and very much disrespecting them as a whole. This habit is in fact a very negative habit that we should be working to eradicate. I enjoyed the way in which Miss Ceasar shares this information and the way that she makes her point. She chooses to do so in the way that she feels most comfortable; gospel singing. Throughout her song and commentary on this topic she is very soulful and filled with emotion and feeling. She inspires us to help change the norm in our society and to choose not to leave our elders alone. Throughout her commentary she shares the story of one Mama and her experience being left alone when she began to age. This Mama had two sons, one that grew up to be very successful and he even went to college and became a doctor. However, this son got so caught up in his world and his life that he had created for himself that he forgot his Mama and she was left alone. He put her into an old folks home and she was left there all alone. But don’t forget this Mama’s second son. This second son as he was growing up was a trouble maker and caused this Mama so much pain and trouble. However, this son is changed. He is close to his Mama and wants to care for his Mama. So when this son heard that his Mama was being brought to an old folks home he comes in and says that he wouldn't want his Mama to go away to an old folks home. She should come and live with him. He doesn't have much, just an old cot and some beans out of a can; but please Mama. Come live with me he says. This story is a very realistic representation of the way old folks are treated in our country and society. This should be an inspiration to all of us to change this norm. -THEARSONIST012
I like what you had to say about Mrs. Shirley’s preferred method of delivering her opinion. The fact that she chose gospel singing, the medium of communication she was most comfortable with, meant that she was able to better deliver the power and importance of the message she wished to convey. I think that if she had chosen some other form of telling the story, it would not have transmitted the same effect. You are right. This song is a clear appeal to pathos to attempt to alter common patterns and norms in the area of treating elders. If we all shift our attitudes, these occurrences can decrease greatly.
I agree with you when you said that leaving our elders alone when they reach a certain age is disrespectful and a very bad habit! I feel as if we really need to start treating them with more respect in their old age after all I’m sure they don’t really want to be growing old either. The story Shirley Ceasar sings about is a very realistic representation of how our elders are treated in our culture and our society today and probably happens so much more than we all think it does. I really liked the part of this video when her second son wants his mama to live with him even though he doesn’t have much to offer her. -isitnaptimeyet012
I enjoyed this video a lot because of how it was set up. in the song Shirley talked about her two sons and how they grew up and treated her as she got older. One of the sons grew up to be s doctor and eventfully let his mother live with him as she got older. It was his wife who suggested taking her to a nursing home because she had broken English. I thought it was a good example because even today are society is still like that. We all get so l lazy and ahead of ourselves we don't pay attention to our love ones and what they need. We often think that once our parents and grandparents start showing the signs of needing care we automatically go to straight to a nursing home for help because we "don't have time" to be able to attended to them 24/7. However that is understandable but there can be other solutions. For example, in the story the son who was a doctor ended up running into his brother and mother. He ended up taking of her instead. I understood this this video a lot those and felt pity for the mother because my great grandmother is also in a nursing home. She's very limited to what she can do but ever since she has been in there I haven't seen her as much as I would like to. We all have our own lives and there is only do much we can do. That's not an excuse. Also there are a lot of older people who don't necessarily want to be in a home. We need to focus on how we can keep our family happier longer and being with them as long as possible because you never know what can happen next. -ILIKETURTLES012
This video is really eye opening. At the beginning when Shirley Ceasar is talking to someone’s mother and the mother replies with something along the lines of “the children put me in this place a long time ago and haven’t been back to see me since” it really makes me feel sorry for all the older mothers, fathers, and grandparents that are put into nursing homes and seem to be forgotten by their families. When people get older they are seen as an inconvenience; they require more medical attention, which to the younger generations means more time and money will need to spent with them and on them, which also means the younger family members will have less time to spend on themselves and what they enjoy doing. And also with their families and their jobs. I think it is so beyond sad that we do this with our elders, they raised us and made sure we had everything we needed our entire lives and then we turn around and put them in a nursing home to be forgotten. Of course not all family members fail to visit their loved ones and not all nursing homes are a terrible place to live but still we shouldn’t turn our backs on them in their dying years. On the other hand, taking care of a sick family member would be incredibly hard. My great grandma Baker lived with my nana (her daughter) and my paw for years and years, probably about 5 or 6 years before she died and I remember my nana doing EVERYTHING for her mother and loved it. Until grandma turned about 95 and would occasionally fall and break her hips; this became too stressful on my nana which forced her to put her in a nursing home so she could be under 24/7 care by nurses who were able to properly deal with her needs. But still my nana visited her every single day. And that is something everyone should try to do with their loved ones who are potentially stuck in a nursing home. -isitnaptimeyet012
I like what you said here. It can be incredibly sad to see families practically abandon their parents and grandparents in nursing homes. I worked in a nursing home for a couple months and my heart always went out to the residents there. Like you said, there are people who regularly visit their loved ones. But there are also the ones who pretty much get dumped in there because their family no longer wants to take the effort to take care of them. I feel like it's a sensitive topic to an extent because nursing homes can definitely be beneficial and there are some people with lives too busy to take care for someone who is sick and dying. It is just sad to see because for me, I could pretty much tell that some of the residents I saw in there, did not want or even NEED to be in there. I know it would hurt me to see my mom or dad be placed in one of those places and I wouldn't if I absolutely had to. My 90 year old great-grandma still lives at home with my 70 year old grandma taking care of her. Her daughter, my aunt, is 45 and helps both of them. While my aunts daughter, my cousin who is 27, also helps out. Like, it just goes to show that nursing homes aren't essential and as long as you have someone there supporting you that is all you need!
After listening to the soul spoken words from Shirley Caesar I have just a few thoughts. The story from start to finish is a great one. A hard-working mother with 2 sons. One is doing everything right in life, even from an early age. The other, not so much. He’s constantly in trouble and making terrible decisions. It seems from her words that the troublesome son causes his mother a lot of grief and stress. She’s in and out of courthouses bailing him out of jail and everything else. Meanwhile the star son is thriving and becoming a doctor and doing everything right in life in order to become successful. Then, as the story progresses we see that the successful son actually starts to prioritize his newly found material life more than the one he grew up in. He decided his mother, the one that worked so hard and lifted him up so that he could be as successful as he is, was turning out to be a burden in her old age. His resources and income allowed him to set her up in what he thought would be a nice quaint retirement home. Then the no-good son pops back up and refuses to put their mother in such an isolated place. He then offers his own home to her. I think it sends a powerful message. Money isn’t everything and you should always value your mother, because you wouldn’t have what you have if it wasn’t for her. Even if she’s older and slower, shipping her away isn’t always the right thing to do just because you can afford to do it. All she needs is love and someone to be patient with her, and that is something money and power and being successful can’t buy. I enjoyed this video. I could go deeper I’m sure there are a thousand other messages in this but those are some of the main ones that I saw.
I like how you said, “because you wouldn’t have what you have if it wasn’t for her.” I enjoyed how you explained the points that you felt the most important for you. It is true that sometimes people think that with money they can buy everything. However, I think the only thing that a mother wants from her children is just love and be patient because as a human being when we get older we become so sensitive because we will need some help even when we want to change our clothes. It is like a cycle; a mother raises a kid and help him learn everything from the scratch and then the mother we need the help after getting old. Thank you for your thoughts. POINTOFVIEW012.
This is my first time seeing a video that I didn’t like, not because of the song but because those stories are real, and it is happening everywhere literally even in low income countries. It is so sad and depressing that after all the years and the sacrifices that a mother did to raise her kids and gave them everything she could just to provide not only the survival stuff like food, water and shelve but also all the other stuff that she didn’t have when she was young like going to school and graduate. We all know that person who doesn’t thank his/her mother for being around and for helping him/her to be the person who is today. I wish if I could study their brains and see if they took those decisions by sending their mother to a nursing home because that’s what they want, or it might be because someone else took that decision for them. The bond between the mother and her children should be a powerful bond that no one in the whole life can break it, and I am surprise that there are people still doing that even when they know that no one in the whole life can understand your mother in her weakness and in her strength. We have a said in my country saying, if one has no good in his/her family, then he/she has no good in others. Which is true actually because if a person put their mother because she is no more helpful, old, and need some help then that person will never be good to anyone at least to those who need their help. I will never do that to my mother even if that means losing everything. I will pray for those who do this because they are totally mentally unstable. Sorry for saying this but I am sure that I won’t be able to do that even if that means to lose my job and my life for her. POINTOFVIEW012
I agree with you 100%. I love how you said the bond between a mother and her child/children should never be broken. I also agree with what you said that you say in your country because that’s true. I just hate that this is still going on. This a mother who obviously didn’t have much but made sure her children had what they needed. I find it crazy that the man could have the audacity to forget how hard his mother worked for him to be the man he is. If my husband tried to convince me to put my other in a nursing home, me and him most likely wouldn’t make it. It isn’t nobody in the world that could convince me to do that. I don’t care if something is wrong with her or not she would not be going. I love how you said this. prettygirlhd012
I agree, I don't like the story because it is a big issue in a lot of places, not just the United States. Family turning their backs on one another just because they are getting old and in the way. I don't like how both brothers hurt their mothers after all that they did with them. It's not fair for the mother and I couldn't do that to my mother either. I think the one brother did this to his mother because he put his hard work before his mothers and forgot all she did for him. It's sad to look at it that way but it happens a lot. ^~^ Itis012
I like this video because it shows the repetition of people and how society influences that. The story is of a mother that had two sons, one was bad and always giving her trouble and the other was “perfect” to say the least. The bad brother was older and growing up her mother struggled hard with the kid never wanting to do right. He never did good in school. Had run ins with the law a bunch, and mama had to constantly be working hard to pay for bail money. So when it came time to raise another boy, she made sure he was doing everything right from school to staying out of trouble. She worked even harder to give him money to go off to college to become something. After 8 years the boy came back and had become a doctor. Not only that, but found himself a wife too. He took her in and everything was great. After awhile, the couple had kids and the wife was complaining about his mom. The son decided that his new family was more important than his old. He was going to put her in a old home. The mother was super upset but he didn’t care. So when they got to the old home the bad brother met them there. He told him he would take her instead of her living in an old home. It makes me sad because the mom worked so hard for kids and both of them basically let her down in a sad way. I also feel like the brother felt that his hard work was more important than what his mother's hard work was and forgot about all she did for him. The other brother was probably upset for all the wrongs that he’s done in his life but wants to make up for it. To show he still cares about her. I feel like society makes us forget about what others have done for us but shows us to care more for our hard work earnings. ^~^ Itis012
Every time I hear Shirley Caesar’s voice it makes me really think and it takes to another place. She is sweet lady that always has a great message for somebody. This was great story to hear. There is a mother who has two sons. She was a hardworking lady, she scrubbed the floors on her knees and ironed and did what she had to do for her son to be somebody and make it in life. She obviously worked hard to be able to send him to school. He became a doctor and married a school teacher and they ended up having children. They realized they needed some extra help with their children, so the doctor called on his momma and asked her to come stay with them. After the children were old enough to basically do things on their own, the school teacher and doctor had a conversation. The school teacher suggested that the mother go to a nursing home because “she was in the way”. So, he agreed, and momma got her things together and a limousine was outside to take her to the nursing home. But on the way, she seen the troubled son and didn’t understand why the doctor was putting her in this nursing home when she can stay with him. The troubled son didn’t have much, but he knew that this was mom and there was no way she could go there. The moral of this story to me is, don’t forget where you came from and why you are where you are. There is no way possible my significant other could convince me to put my mom in a nursing home when I have room at my house. I would’ve been like the troubled son. I don’t care if I had one room there is no way my mom is going to a nursey after all that she did for me to get to where I am. The doctor would not be a doctor if it wasn’t for his mom. I would’ve told my husband if he had a problem with my mother being there after she helped us with our kids me and him have even bigger problems.He may have to be the one that leaves, not my mother. Never forget where you came from. prettygirlhd012
It is true, she has a wonderful voice and I like how she sings about problems during her time. I really like how she tells the story in a way that most people would understand and can compare to. They can relate or at least picture themselves in the situation at hand. This is a very powerful song that shows a very big problem for the elderly back then and even today. Especially today, this new world is very fast passed and a lot of people do not feel as if they have the time to take care of the elderly or it may inconvenience them in some way. It actually really a shame. –TheMarshall012
I thought she sounded wonderful. I never really listened to her before but she obviously used her voice for good as she drew attention to a problem that members of our society (the elderly) face every day. Now that there are more old people than young people, this happens more frequently than ever. The problem hasn’t gone away but if more people like Shirley brought attention to it, it could be taken care of.
This is a very good song for what is happening to the elderly in today’s society. It is very powerful and it addresses the problem of putting the elderly in the homes. These people, our parents, worked all of their lives to raise us and put us through school. Then they may even help raise our children to adulthood and we just put them in homes because we do not want to take care of them anymore. They may feel betrayed. If I try to look on the other side of this, some people may look at it as if they cannot take care of the parents, but I think that could be worked around. They look at the elderly as a burden on them. Especially is today’s society were a lot of the newer generation blame the elderly for the problems and burdens of today. Whether that is true or not, a lot of younger people see them as a burden and believe that the homes are where they belong because they inconvenience us. If we look at it the other way though, it is funny, because we were their burden for some 18 years and now it is even longer because we are staying home longer than the older generations. Why is it that when they ask the same of us in their old age, we turn away. Every person is different and many things could affect a person’s decision. Some may say, inconvenience, money problems, no time to take care of them, etc. As I said, I cannot speak for everyone, but there is a lot that goes into thinking about this. Honestly, I’d like to say I would not do that to my parents but only time would tell. It is a real shame that this is happening to those who raised and taught us. –TheMarshall012
I agree with you, Its a shame that our parents go to extreme length to make sure we succeed, but when it comes time for them to be taken care of we shrug it off onto someone else. Our society has given care and respect up for money, not everyone, but enough to see things such as elder abuse and neglect. Its a shame because many elders within our society have so many good stories to tell if we would just take the time to listen.~pj012
I thought the song was very moving and it made me think of my own future with my parents. I think everyone aspires to be the “good” son and wants to be successful so they can take care of their parents. I know I do. The sad thing about the situation is that the mother was put in the nursing home for trivial reasons at best. She swore in front of the kids? I don’t think that’s a good reason. The sad thing about these homes is that the elderly often suffer abuse in these places, as well as physical and emotional neglect. I think Americans could benefit from taking a more eastern approach to care for the elderly. Many Asian cultures take great care of their elderly and don’t have nursing homes. I hate the idea of putting my own parents in one in the future, whenever that may be. Our society should adapt and take better care of the elderly.
I personally have some biased judgement towards older people. I'm either scared, respectful or annoyed. But saying older people scare or annoy me is like saying...I don't know, something majorly disrespectful. This particular speech seems to come from a very special place for Ms. Caesar. Telling this story of how a mother worked her way for her children reminds me of my great grandmother. I never met her but I was told many stories. A crucial thing I was told though, was that she scrubbed floors, day in and day out. She did this for countless years and put all of her children through college--and she had like, 6. Because of this, my grandmother was able to make it through nursing school and later on became an administrator for nurses at the hospital she worked at. Without that discipline, and perseverance, the whole family could be in a far worse place. Shirley really puts in perspective how hard mothers work and how we should reverence those older than us. We don’t know what they did to get to where they are, and we don’t know what they had to go through to put us where we are. All we can do is just appreciate them. The sweet song just more exemplifies what we take for granted. Many people drive their mothers, their parents away. Sometimes without realizing. Many times, children put distance between themselves and their family only to realize how much of a mistake it was when it’s too late to fix what is broken. I, myself, am guilty of distancing myself from family but this video is truly a great example in showing the power of a mother’s love and the dedication that older generations have continued to give to the younger.
This song spoke some ironic truth. This elderly woman had spent her life working very hard to support her son’s pursuits. When it came time to take care of her she was treated as a burden and this good son wanted to throw her in a home because of his wife’s complaints. It was a sad thing but then the other son, that was a trouble maker, came back and told his brother that they need to care for their mother. Throughout Mrs. Caesar’s song it was put as if the good son would take care of her but it turned out differently in the end. For myself I felt it was speaking about not giving up on people regardless of age or bad decisions. From a sociological standpoint it seems that this song is describing life in an industrial society, where children go away from there homes to become more independent and often forget about their parents because there is little that they can contribute to their endeavors once they earn a foothold on their adult life . An Agrarian society would have a different take, one in which the elders hold the most wealth and prestige and are taken care of and respected. It really goes to show how we have changed and not for the better. This was a sad song, but it was truthful take on American culture. The word we use to describe older individuals is the elderly and in other cultures they are described as Elders, of the two you can see Elders shows a sign of respect and elderly is demeaning. It’s a shame that we value time and money and not memories and respect.~pj012
Wow I actually felt so much power and story from this song. I see why she agreed to not sign a record deal, because I am sure that she pleased plenty of people by just singing for Jesus. The song talks about a really sad but real thing that happens in our society. As people age and need taken care of they are more likely to be taken care of by daughters. In this case the mother had two sons: one that got into a lot of trouble and one that went to college and became a doctor. The doctor is the son that ended up taking her in to live with them. Something that unfortunately happens a lot is the people in the house thinking that they are getting in the way. This is hard to relate to at my age but I have an idea of a situation. This results in a lot of the elderly being put in nursing homes when they don’t need to be which has many problems. For me its really sad that this has to be true yet I understand you love your parents and you don’t always want to be around them. What I thought was interesting about the song was that when the doctor son started taking her to the nursing home the other brother who caused her all the trouble when he was younger showed up. Even though he wasn’t as rich as the doctor he offered his home out to his mother instead of going to a nursing home. She wasn’t at the age where she needed to be in a nursing home rather she was just unwanted in her other son’s home. Throughout the song there was so much emotion and rightly so because I would also have a lot of emotions if I was clearly unwanted by my own family. It’s a horrible feeling and something I hope I won’t have to go through with my own children.
ReplyDelete-curlyhead012
I could never imagine being in need of my families help and some of them not wanting to be there for me. Humans often only care about their life and themselves. I would never want some of my family to not have my back like that. I can not think of a situation where I relate because even though all my grandparents are close to 80 they are all still healthy and can function by themselves. I am very lucky. I feel bad for her because one of the most awful feelings is feeling not wanted or like you do not belong somewhere.
Deletegea012
I suppose it would be odd to be in both positions. One being the one to take care of one of you parents. Two being the parent being taken care of. I do not agree with the kid of a parent who needs help being against helping them out that being they took care of you and cared for you as a child. If I had a parent who was a horrible parent then I would never help them even in their older age. If I had a parent who was a good parent then I would feel it is the right thing to do after that parent has always been there for you and raised you. It is a shame sending a human with feelings to a nursing home when they are not even in that critical of conditions. They are humans too and one day they will not be here so how could you treat your parent like that? That doctor was where he was by part of his mothers doing, so why wouldn't you give the deed back? Maybe at times children of parents who are in need to live with you see it as one more responsibility or thing to deal with, which I understand, but it is the fact it is the right thing to do. Why make them struggle and feel unwanted when you could simply take a little part out of your day everyday to help them out in your house. Doesn't it seem the richer are the ones who have the larger ability to help out but are the ones who never do? The ones who are not as well off in life seem to be the more helpful ones.. maybe because they can relate and the well off do not take the consideration of others or try to relate and think if they were them.
ReplyDeletegea012
I think you make a good point that the ones who are less well off tend to take care of their parents. I do think that it's because they relate to what their parent went through when raising them. I think its also partly that the less well off son in this situation has some regret from his childhood. He was the one who caused so much trouble for his mom when he was younger but now he realizes how much he didn't appreciate her. I don't think anyone should have to go through the feeling of being unwanted though, especially in this story with her own son who seemed like he'd always be there for her.
Delete-curlyhead012
This song has so much power and meaning behind it in my opinion. If I was Shirley Caesar, I don’t think I would’ve signed for any record label either. I think it is powerful because I feel that some mothers do go through this and it probably happens more than what we hear about. I wasn’t expecting for the doctor to put his own mother in a home. Then when the troubled son came and offered his home to his mother really surprised me. The ones that don’t have much, offer more than the ones who have a lot and don’t offer anything. I’ve joked about putting my mom in a home, which I would never do. She turns around and tells me that she’ll disown me. It is a pretty bad joke but she knows that I don’t mean it. The way I see it, they took care of us so we should return the favor when the time comes or if need be. There are some elderly people that can still take care of themselves but in many cases, we do hear about the ones that were placed in nursing homes. Some would rather be left alone in the comfort of their own home than to be placed somewhere where they can’t do what they want to do when they want to. I can see the justification of putting a loved one in a home because the person that was trying to take care of them, has a job and can’t be there when the loved one needs it. I personally believe that family would never get in the way of anything. Our parents didn’t say that we got in the way when they were taking care of us. I could never say that to my mother. The fact that it would be a complete stranger taking care of my mother alone scares me. We hear about the elderly abuse that happens at the nursing home and I just couldn’t risk that. Family comes first to me so I wouldn’t put a job before family.
ReplyDelete-Chewbacca012
I totally agree with you. You have some wonderful thoughts and things to share here! It came off as surprising for me to that the successful son became the one that left the dear Mama alone instead of the son that had caused her so much trouble to raise. This son was appalled when the older son proposed that the Mama be put into an old folks home. I would agree with you too that I wouldn't put my Mama into an old folks home for fear of the things that could happen to Mama. The living conditions can be less than ideal. Great job! -THEARSONIST012
DeleteThere is no doubt that Ms. Shirley Caesar does not beat around the bush! She got directly to the point, with a lot of emotion, power, and feeling. Through the uproar, however, she makes a very valid point. We should respect our elders! Our culture, unlike other cultures, seems to be slightly off track when it comes to taking care of and respecting our elders. Instead of being valued above all others, they are often degraded, mocked, and left alone. I have heard many say that there is no dignity in growing old and dying, but it is our duty as people who were raised by our elders and will one day reach the end ourselves to care for these people. Instead of being a virtuous cycle, it is starting to become a vicious cycle.
ReplyDeleteAnother excellent point she makes in the song is about which son came back to care for his mother. Initially, you would've thought that it would've been the first son who was responsible, educated, and respectful, but instead it was the son that caused his other so much grief. There are a few reasons for this, but one of them is that the first son got caught up in the life he had created for himself. This is a problem in our culture today. People get all wrapped up in the newest technology and “the next best thing” that they don’t take time to stop and realize what they already have. This is possibly why so many elders feel isolated as they get older. Another thing to consider is the second son may have wanted to pour back into his mother because, after all the years, he realized just how much grief he caused her, but the other son, who’s success was financed by his mother, didn’t have time to spare for her.
- MAXIMA012
In some cases, I think raw emotion can detract from a message. In this case though, I think Shirley's passion really cemented the message for me! I agree with your thoughts about our societal respect for elders. To me, they are a valuable asset full of life lessons and advice. To simply abandon them in the late stages of life is a travesty. Another good point you bring up is younger generations getting caught up in the newness of technology, which may leave elderly people feeling inadequate or isolated. While it is generally a challenge to teach an older person how to work a smart phone or an iPad, I do think that they appreciate the lesson because it makes them feel like they are on track with societal progress in technology. -CSP012
DeleteI agree with all you said we definitely should respect our elders and that the message she had was powerful and quick to the point. I think it shows a valuable lesson that many young or old individuals could learn from. I also, like you talked about the assumptions some people may have made while listening to the clip thinking that the son who would take of the mother would be the one who had an education and was respectful to her verses the one who caused her grief. In all your response was very well written and I enjoyed reading your opinion.
Delete-IDK123012
When thinking about my parents aging, I really try to look at it from both perspectives. Obviously, I love my parents and would do anything for them. However, by the time they get to retirement and maybe nursing home age, I will most likely have a family and career of my own taking up most of my time. Most grandparents I know are fully functional and live independently until the day they die, hopefully the same will be said for my parents. From an aging parent’s perspective, I think they do understand what the child is going through. In fact, the parent probably went through the same internal conflict when their parents reached an elderly age. I do imagine that to the parent, being sent to live in a nursing home feels like being shipped off to death. Even if children come to visit, I doubt the relationships ever feel the same.
ReplyDeleteI think there is definitely judgement against elderly people in our society. Whether it is because we do not think they are productive members (regardless of their production throughout their careers) or simply taking up space, the elderly are not on equal footing with even teenagers in some areas. I for one believe that our elderly people should be respected simply for the knowledge they have about life. No one else has experienced as much life as them, and I know that they always have valuable lessons to be taught. While not necessarily up to the levels that Asian cultures use, I do think that our elderly citizens need a much higher level of respect. In most cases, we consider them aging to mean a loss of intelligence and reasoning, often resulting in us not taking them seriously. However, the opposite is true, and I feel it is only respectful to treat them with respect in the latter stages of life.
-CSP012
I find that many stereotypes that surround the elderly population are simply not true. I believe that the stereotype we have about older people not being wise or productive only exists because, just like any other stereotype, people do not spend enough time with the people they describe in a general fashion. If people in the United States would just take time to get to know a few people of the older community, I think they would have a very different view of them. I know several older people (like 80 to 90 years old) who are more active then I am. They are all very sweet, but they are not by any means timid, shy, or childlike. They know what they want and what they stand for. I just don’t think that we should judge someone based on age until we experience that stage of life for ourselves. MySliceofthePi012
DeleteI personally have some biased judgement towards older people. I'm either scared, respectful or annoyed. But saying older people scare or annoy me is like saying...I don't know, something majorly disrespectful. And that's not the vibe I try to put out. I understand what you mean by putting your parents in a nursing home, as if at some point I'll probably have to do the same. Not like with Dr. White's family, but when my parents reach that mental age when they forget the color blue or something. There's definitely a stigma surrounding older people, as there are with many groups. But there's not much to do about it except put attention to the outliers. For example, an older woman with an Instagram under the name, "BaddieWinkle" dresses in younger people's clothes. Not like high fashion, but think, colorful, small, and tight. Now there's going to be some stigma surrounding her because it's like "old people shouldn't be wearing that,". But really, she's just literally flipping the script.
DeleteAs I was listening to this song, I had a roller coaster of emotions. For most of the song, I thought that the disobedient and self-interested boy did not care about his mother. I thought I had known that the protagonist of the story was the good boy, who grew up, went to college and became a doctor. My original belief was further supported when the “good” son asked the mother to move in with him and his wife, so that she could help raise their children. Then, when the “good” son mentioned the idea of taking the mother to the old folks’ home, I knew he was not as nice and caring as he portrayed himself to be. I was surprised that the deviant son wanted his mother to come live with him even though he did not have much to offer her expect his love, company, and care. While most parents hope for their children to be able to go further in life then they did or could, I think there can be a great drawback when children end up jumping social classes in an upward direction over the course of their life. They can come to distance themselves with the type of person they used to be. No longer do they treat everyone in the same manner. For example, one of the reasons the son no longer wanted the mother living in his home is because she used poor English, but the son should have grown up around his mother using poor English. At this point in his life the “good” son was more focused on himself and his own family he was raising. I think parents and children grow apart living in different classes. It should not matter who the person is, where they are, or where they come from, if they had good parents to take care of them, then they should reciprocate the action. MySliceofthePi012
ReplyDeleteIt does have you feeling mixed feelings and almost makes you feel you are there an apart of the conversation between the two. It is sad how families can grow apart once they do achieve a higher status in society, the same ways that the mother was treating and raising the sons children was the same in which helped him become who he was. Wealth and power can change a person, they may not notice but with more wealth the old ways and lifestyles change. But the son that stayed in trouble and had not accomplished goals like his brother offered to take his mother into his home which wasn’t much. If everyone would take a moment to see others problems and try to help a situation the world would be taking a step in a better direction. Just me 012
DeleteTakes me back to Mississippi, in the song and what I took from it was how she sat and had a conversation with someone’s mother in a nursing home and the lady discussed things about her life and what lead her to be there. It shows how families leave their elders in nursing homes and how they have all these children but yet not one is there for them to help take care of them. I noticed that feminization of poverty was in the song. A single mother raising kids alone working multiple jobs so that the kids want have needs and so that the bills are paid, and maintaining all this while trying to keep them on the right track in life so they can have a place in society. The song also touches on family even after the mother did all she could for her kids, one did make it to become a doctor and went through gender stratification. He let his mother move in and stayed with him and his family, until his wife thought that they didn’t need her around anymore and her ways were starting to affect the children. This is sad but happens a lot now in the society that we are in and when it does the last option is the nursing home. It also shows how once a person’s income or wealth changes how they began to live as those in a higher class and the ways that they once new are no longer there, which brings me to the lower class son who showed deviance but still was there for his mother. It shows how society looks at the lower class and even though he didn’t have the riches of the world he offered the little he did to try to keep her from having to go to the nursing home. I feel he was saying he may have been out of her life and stayed in trouble but when and if she needed him that he was there and not a stranger and not to drive him away. Just me 012
ReplyDeleteOverall, I enjoyed the video I like how she told a story which the outcome is actually very common to happen in today’s age. Hearing that she had two sons and one of the sons wouldn’t do right meaning he was always in trouble made me want to know where the story was going. Though when her children grew up and one became a doctor and he let his mother live with him, his wife and their kids I was very happy that one of her sons took the responsibility to take care of her. I say this because its apart of life, that’s how the cycle of life goes your parents take of you and you take of your parents when they can’t take care of themselves anymore. Once the wife went to her husband and told him that his mom had to leave because she was speaking broken English around their kids and how she was trying to teach her kids proper English I was speechless. Moreover, the fact that his wife would ask him to do such a thing I mean I have always thought that a man’s mom is an important person in his life and that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her no matter what the situation is and obviously he had hurt his mom in this situation because it was mention that the mom was crying while packing and while leaving in the limo. In the sense that I hope the husband wasn’t to quick to agree with his wife. I understand that a happy wife equals a happy life and that the wife wants the best for her kids though I can’t help but feel as if there could have been another way to resolve the problem. In the end of the story the son who was always in trouble ran into the other son and the mom and decided that even though he didn’t have much to offer and that when he was younger he caused his mother a lot of problems that he wanted to take care of her. I thought that was an awesome and loving thing for him to do. I’m glad that in the end it worked out for the family.
ReplyDelete-IDK123012
This video is incredibly inspiring and interesting. Miss Shirley Ceasar is very clear in the point she wishes to make. She shares with us that our society has a habit of leaving our elders alone when they reach a certain age and very much disrespecting them as a whole. This habit is in fact a very negative habit that we should be working to eradicate. I enjoyed the way in which Miss Ceasar shares this information and the way that she makes her point. She chooses to do so in the way that she feels most comfortable; gospel singing. Throughout her song and commentary on this topic she is very soulful and filled with emotion and feeling. She inspires us to help change the norm in our society and to choose not to leave our elders alone. Throughout her commentary she shares the story of one Mama and her experience being left alone when she began to age. This Mama had two sons, one that grew up to be very successful and he even went to college and became a doctor. However, this son got so caught up in his world and his life that he had created for himself that he forgot his Mama and she was left alone. He put her into an old folks home and she was left there all alone. But don’t forget this Mama’s second son. This second son as he was growing up was a trouble maker and caused this Mama so much pain and trouble. However, this son is changed. He is close to his Mama and wants to care for his Mama. So when this son heard that his Mama was being brought to an old folks home he comes in and says that he wouldn't want his Mama to go away to an old folks home. She should come and live with him. He doesn't have much, just an old cot and some beans out of a can; but please Mama. Come live with me he says. This story is a very realistic representation of the way old folks are treated in our country and society. This should be an inspiration to all of us to change this norm. -THEARSONIST012
ReplyDeleteI like what you had to say about Mrs. Shirley’s preferred method of delivering her opinion. The fact that she chose gospel singing, the medium of communication she was most comfortable with, meant that she was able to better deliver the power and importance of the message she wished to convey. I think that if she had chosen some other form of telling the story, it would not have transmitted the same effect. You are right. This song is a clear appeal to pathos to attempt to alter common patterns and norms in the area of treating elders. If we all shift our attitudes, these occurrences can decrease greatly.
Delete- MAXIMA012
I agree with you when you said that leaving our elders alone when they reach a certain age is disrespectful and a very bad habit! I feel as if we really need to start treating them with more respect in their old age after all I’m sure they don’t really want to be growing old either. The story Shirley Ceasar sings about is a very realistic representation of how our elders are treated in our culture and our society today and probably happens so much more than we all think it does. I really liked the part of this video when her second son wants his mama to live with him even though he doesn’t have much to offer her.
Delete-isitnaptimeyet012
I enjoyed this video a lot because of how it was set up. in the song Shirley talked about her two sons and how they grew up and treated her as she got older. One of the sons grew up to be s doctor and eventfully let his mother live with him as she got older. It was his wife who suggested taking her to a nursing home because she had broken English. I thought it was a good example because even today are society is still like that. We all get so l lazy and ahead of ourselves we don't pay attention to our love ones and what they need. We often think that once our parents and grandparents start showing the signs of needing care we automatically go to straight to a nursing home for help because we "don't have time" to be able to attended to them 24/7. However that is understandable but there can be other solutions. For example, in the story the son who was a doctor ended up running into his brother and mother. He ended up taking of her instead. I understood this this video a lot those and felt pity for the mother because my great grandmother is also in a nursing home. She's very limited to what she can do but ever since she has been in there I haven't seen her as much as I would like to. We all have our own lives and there is only do much we can do. That's not an excuse. Also there are a lot of older people who don't necessarily want to be in a home. We need to focus on how we can keep our family happier longer and being with them as long as possible because you never know what can happen next. -ILIKETURTLES012
ReplyDeleteThis video is really eye opening. At the beginning when Shirley Ceasar is talking to someone’s mother and the mother replies with something along the lines of “the children put me in this place a long time ago and haven’t been back to see me since” it really makes me feel sorry for all the older mothers, fathers, and grandparents that are put into nursing homes and seem to be forgotten by their families. When people get older they are seen as an inconvenience; they require more medical attention, which to the younger generations means more time and money will need to spent with them and on them, which also means the younger family members will have less time to spend on themselves and what they enjoy doing. And also with their families and their jobs. I think it is so beyond sad that we do this with our elders, they raised us and made sure we had everything we needed our entire lives and then we turn around and put them in a nursing home to be forgotten. Of course not all family members fail to visit their loved ones and not all nursing homes are a terrible place to live but still we shouldn’t turn our backs on them in their dying years. On the other hand, taking care of a sick family member would be incredibly hard. My great grandma Baker lived with my nana (her daughter) and my paw for years and years, probably about 5 or 6 years before she died and I remember my nana doing EVERYTHING for her mother and loved it. Until grandma turned about 95 and would occasionally fall and break her hips; this became too stressful on my nana which forced her to put her in a nursing home so she could be under 24/7 care by nurses who were able to properly deal with her needs. But still my nana visited her every single day. And that is something everyone should try to do with their loved ones who are potentially stuck in a nursing home.
ReplyDelete-isitnaptimeyet012
I like what you said here. It can be incredibly sad to see families practically abandon their parents and grandparents in nursing homes. I worked in a nursing home for a couple months and my heart always went out to the residents there. Like you said, there are people who regularly visit their loved ones. But there are also the ones who pretty much get dumped in there because their family no longer wants to take the effort to take care of them. I feel like it's a sensitive topic to an extent because nursing homes can definitely be beneficial and there are some people with lives too busy to take care for someone who is sick and dying. It is just sad to see because for me, I could pretty much tell that some of the residents I saw in there, did not want or even NEED to be in there. I know it would hurt me to see my mom or dad be placed in one of those places and I wouldn't if I absolutely had to. My 90 year old great-grandma still lives at home with my 70 year old grandma taking care of her. Her daughter, my aunt, is 45 and helps both of them. While my aunts daughter, my cousin who is 27, also helps out. Like, it just goes to show that nursing homes aren't essential and as long as you have someone there supporting you that is all you need!
DeleteHOOTIEGRL012
After listening to the soul spoken words from Shirley Caesar I have just a few thoughts. The story from start to finish is a great one. A hard-working mother with 2 sons. One is doing everything right in life, even from an early age. The other, not so much. He’s constantly in trouble and making terrible decisions. It seems from her words that the troublesome son causes his mother a lot of grief and stress. She’s in and out of courthouses bailing him out of jail and everything else. Meanwhile the star son is thriving and becoming a doctor and doing everything right in life in order to become successful. Then, as the story progresses we see that the successful son actually starts to prioritize his newly found material life more than the one he grew up in. He decided his mother, the one that worked so hard and lifted him up so that he could be as successful as he is, was turning out to be a burden in her old age. His resources and income allowed him to set her up in what he thought would be a nice quaint retirement home. Then the no-good son pops back up and refuses to put their mother in such an isolated place. He then offers his own home to her. I think it sends a powerful message. Money isn’t everything and you should always value your mother, because you wouldn’t have what you have if it wasn’t for her. Even if she’s older and slower, shipping her away isn’t always the right thing to do just because you can afford to do it. All she needs is love and someone to be patient with her, and that is something money and power and being successful can’t buy. I enjoyed this video. I could go deeper I’m sure there are a thousand other messages in this but those are some of the main ones that I saw.
ReplyDeleteHOOTIEGRL012
I like how you said, “because you wouldn’t have what you have if it wasn’t for her.” I enjoyed how you explained the points that you felt the most important for you. It is true that sometimes people think that with money they can buy everything. However, I think the only thing that a mother wants from her children is just love and be patient because as a human being when we get older we become so sensitive because we will need some help even when we want to change our clothes. It is like a cycle; a mother raises a kid and help him learn everything from the scratch and then the mother we need the help after getting old. Thank you for your thoughts. POINTOFVIEW012.
DeleteThis is my first time seeing a video that I didn’t like, not because of the song but because those stories are real, and it is happening everywhere literally even in low income countries. It is so sad and depressing that after all the years and the sacrifices that a mother did to raise her kids and gave them everything she could just to provide not only the survival stuff like food, water and shelve but also all the other stuff that she didn’t have when she was young like going to school and graduate. We all know that person who doesn’t thank his/her mother for being around and for helping him/her to be the person who is today. I wish if I could study their brains and see if they took those decisions by sending their mother to a nursing home because that’s what they want, or it might be because someone else took that decision for them. The bond between the mother and her children should be a powerful bond that no one in the whole life can break it, and I am surprise that there are people still doing that even when they know that no one in the whole life can understand your mother in her weakness and in her strength. We have a said in my country saying, if one has no good in his/her family, then he/she has no good in others. Which is true actually because if a person put their mother because she is no more helpful, old, and need some help then that person will never be good to anyone at least to those who need their help. I will never do that to my mother even if that means losing everything. I will pray for those who do this because they are totally mentally unstable. Sorry for saying this but I am sure that I won’t be able to do that even if that means to lose my job and my life for her. POINTOFVIEW012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. I love how you said the bond between a mother and her child/children should never be broken. I also agree with what you said that you say in your country because that’s true. I just hate that this is still going on. This a mother who obviously didn’t have much but made sure her children had what they needed. I find it crazy that the man could have the audacity to forget how hard his mother worked for him to be the man he is. If my husband tried to convince me to put my other in a nursing home, me and him most likely wouldn’t make it. It isn’t nobody in the world that could convince me to do that. I don’t care if something is wrong with her or not she would not be going. I love how you said this.
Deleteprettygirlhd012
I agree, I don't like the story because it is a big issue in a lot of places, not just the United States. Family turning their backs on one another just because they are getting old and in the way. I don't like how both brothers hurt their mothers after all that they did with them. It's not fair for the mother and I couldn't do that to my mother either. I think the one brother did this to his mother because he put his hard work before his mothers and forgot all she did for him. It's sad to look at it that way but it happens a lot.
Delete^~^ Itis012
I like this video because it shows the repetition of people and how society influences that. The story is of a mother that had two sons, one was bad and always giving her trouble and the other was “perfect” to say the least. The bad brother was older and growing up her mother struggled hard with the kid never wanting to do right. He never did good in school. Had run ins with the law a bunch, and mama had to constantly be working hard to pay for bail money. So when it came time to raise another boy, she made sure he was doing everything right from school to staying out of trouble. She worked even harder to give him money to go off to college to become something. After 8 years the boy came back and had become a doctor. Not only that, but found himself a wife too. He took her in and everything was great. After awhile, the couple had kids and the wife was complaining about his mom. The son decided that his new family was more important than his old. He was going to put her in a old home. The mother was super upset but he didn’t care. So when they got to the old home the bad brother met them there. He told him he would take her instead of her living in an old home. It makes me sad because the mom worked so hard for kids and both of them basically let her down in a sad way. I also feel like the brother felt that his hard work was more important than what his mother's hard work was and forgot about all she did for him. The other brother was probably upset for all the wrongs that he’s done in his life but wants to make up for it. To show he still cares about her. I feel like society makes us forget about what others have done for us but shows us to care more for our hard work earnings.
ReplyDelete^~^ Itis012
Every time I hear Shirley Caesar’s voice it makes me really think and it takes to another place. She is sweet lady that always has a great message for somebody. This was great story to hear. There is a mother who has two sons. She was a hardworking lady, she scrubbed the floors on her knees and ironed and did what she had to do for her son to be somebody and make it in life. She obviously worked hard to be able to send him to school. He became a doctor and married a school teacher and they ended up having children. They realized they needed some extra help with their children, so the doctor called on his momma and asked her to come stay with them. After the children were old enough to basically do things on their own, the school teacher and doctor had a conversation. The school teacher suggested that the mother go to a nursing home because “she was in the way”. So, he agreed, and momma got her things together and a limousine was outside to take her to the nursing home. But on the way, she seen the troubled son and didn’t understand why the doctor was putting her in this nursing home when she can stay with him. The troubled son didn’t have much, but he knew that this was mom and there was no way she could go there. The moral of this story to me is, don’t forget where you came from and why you are where you are. There is no way possible my significant other could convince me to put my mom in a nursing home when I have room at my house. I would’ve been like the troubled son. I don’t care if I had one room there is no way my mom is going to a nursey after all that she did for me to get to where I am. The doctor would not be a doctor if it wasn’t for his mom. I would’ve told my husband if he had a problem with my mother being there after she helped us with our kids me and him have even bigger problems.He may have to be the one that leaves, not my mother. Never forget where you came from.
ReplyDeleteprettygirlhd012
It is true, she has a wonderful voice and I like how she sings about problems during her time. I really like how she tells the story in a way that most people would understand and can compare to. They can relate or at least picture themselves in the situation at hand. This is a very powerful song that shows a very big problem for the elderly back then and even today. Especially today, this new world is very fast passed and a lot of people do not feel as if they have the time to take care of the elderly or it may inconvenience them in some way. It actually really a shame. –TheMarshall012
DeleteI thought she sounded wonderful. I never really listened to her before but she obviously used her voice for good as she drew attention to a problem that members of our society (the elderly) face every day. Now that there are more old people than young people, this happens more frequently than ever. The problem hasn’t gone away but if more people like Shirley brought attention to it, it could be taken care of.
Delete-YoungPlug012
DeleteThis is a very good song for what is happening to the elderly in today’s society. It is very powerful and it addresses the problem of putting the elderly in the homes. These people, our parents, worked all of their lives to raise us and put us through school. Then they may even help raise our children to adulthood and we just put them in homes because we do not want to take care of them anymore. They may feel betrayed. If I try to look on the other side of this, some people may look at it as if they cannot take care of the parents, but I think that could be worked around. They look at the elderly as a burden on them. Especially is today’s society were a lot of the newer generation blame the elderly for the problems and burdens of today. Whether that is true or not, a lot of younger people see them as a burden and believe that the homes are where they belong because they inconvenience us. If we look at it the other way though, it is funny, because we were their burden for some 18 years and now it is even longer because we are staying home longer than the older generations. Why is it that when they ask the same of us in their old age, we turn away. Every person is different and many things could affect a person’s decision. Some may say, inconvenience, money problems, no time to take care of them, etc. As I said, I cannot speak for everyone, but there is a lot that goes into thinking about this. Honestly, I’d like to say I would not do that to my parents but only time would tell. It is a real shame that this is happening to those who raised and taught us. –TheMarshall012
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Its a shame that our parents go to extreme length to make sure we succeed, but when it comes time for them to be taken care of we shrug it off onto someone else. Our society has given care and respect up for money, not everyone, but enough to see things such as elder abuse and neglect. Its a shame because many elders within our society have so many good stories to tell if we would just take the time to listen.~pj012
DeleteI thought the song was very moving and it made me think of my own future with my parents. I think everyone aspires to be the “good” son and wants to be successful so they can take care of their parents. I know I do. The sad thing about the situation is that the mother was put in the nursing home for trivial reasons at best. She swore in front of the kids? I don’t think that’s a good reason. The sad thing about these homes is that the elderly often suffer abuse in these places, as well as physical and emotional neglect. I think Americans could benefit from taking a more eastern approach to care for the elderly. Many Asian cultures take great care of their elderly and don’t have nursing homes. I hate the idea of putting my own parents in one in the future, whenever that may be. Our society should adapt and take better care of the elderly.
ReplyDelete-YoungPlug012
DeleteI personally have some biased judgement towards older people. I'm either scared, respectful or annoyed. But saying older people scare or annoy me is like saying...I don't know, something majorly disrespectful. This particular speech seems to come from a very special place for Ms. Caesar. Telling this story of how a mother worked her way for her children reminds me of my great grandmother. I never met her but I was told many stories. A crucial thing I was told though, was that she scrubbed floors, day in and day out. She did this for countless years and put all of her children through college--and she had like, 6. Because of this, my grandmother was able to make it through nursing school and later on became an administrator for nurses at the hospital she worked at. Without that discipline, and perseverance, the whole family could be in a far worse place. Shirley really puts in perspective how hard mothers work and how we should reverence those older than us. We don’t know what they did to get to where they are, and we don’t know what they had to go through to put us where we are. All we can do is just appreciate them. The sweet song just more exemplifies what we take for granted. Many people drive their mothers, their parents away. Sometimes without realizing. Many times, children put distance between themselves and their family only to realize how much of a mistake it was when it’s too late to fix what is broken. I, myself, am guilty of distancing myself from family but this video is truly a great example in showing the power of a mother’s love and the dedication that older generations have continued to give to the younger.
ReplyDeleteThis song spoke some ironic truth. This elderly woman had spent her life working very hard to support her son’s pursuits. When it came time to take care of her she was treated as a burden and this good son wanted to throw her in a home because of his wife’s complaints. It was a sad thing but then the other son, that was a trouble maker, came back and told his brother that they need to care for their mother. Throughout Mrs. Caesar’s song it was put as if the good son would take care of her but it turned out differently in the end. For myself I felt it was speaking about not giving up on people regardless of age or bad decisions. From a sociological standpoint it seems that this song is describing life in an industrial society, where children go away from there homes to become more independent and often forget about their parents because there is little that they can contribute to their endeavors once they earn a foothold on their adult life . An Agrarian society would have a different take, one in which the elders hold the most wealth and prestige and are taken care of and respected. It really goes to show how we have changed and not for the better. This was a sad song, but it was truthful take on American culture. The word we use to describe older individuals is the elderly and in other cultures they are described as Elders, of the two you can see Elders shows a sign of respect and elderly is demeaning. It’s a shame that we value time and money and not memories and respect.~pj012
ReplyDelete