What is the "one thing" that just

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

For me, it's the elderly! Living out in the country, with the next biggest town being somewhat small as well, we are pretty limited to the amount of stores we have. Wally World and K-Mart are the only two department stores, though I never shop at K-Mart. Then we have a Pick N Save for groceries, and then a couple small hardware stores that are the hot spots for shopping for whatever you need.

I absolutely have a hard time going to shop at Wal-Mart during the morning or early afternoon, as I usually see elderly folks there just to walk, or kill time. It just breaks my heart to see them, and wonder if they are happy, or if they are lonely. On the way in today, there was an elderly woman who could barely walk she was so hunched over. I wonder if she has family who could help her, or if they are just to busy with life. I talked to a very sweet elderly man while I was checking out. He had about 20 Banquet dinners and a couple Hersey candy bars. I told him his candy bars looked good, just looking to start a little chat with him. He said they were for his grandkids..........awe!

Back in my crafty days, I used to make handmade greeting cards, and personally deliver them to the residents of a nursing home close to where I live. It was the best and worst experience. So sad, yet felt so good to see the happy look on their faces when they saw the cards.

I also have a VERY hard time when I hear stories about the elderly being abused. Not long ago when they showed the elderly woman on Good Morning America, who had been beat up for her purse, in NY I think, I literally cried it was so sad!

So, what is your "one thing" that just tears at your heart strings?

 

[MyBarakah]

The one thing that tears me up is when I see horses being neglected (any where)......big or small...... and drives me INSAIN when I know who the animal belongs toO! But is not my place to say....... Is hard to keep my mouth shut..... but seeing a starving horse in a pasture or something....... really gets to me!

 

[Matt73]

1. Animals that are neglected and/or are in pain.

2. Children that are neglected and/or are in pain

 

[sfmini]

Any living being that is abused or neglected.

On my way home tonight, I passed an elderly escapee from the local nursing home being escorted by three nursing home workers. He looked so sad, I just wanted to stop and give him a hug.

That commercial for the altzheimer's drug just tears me up too.

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I would have to agree~~ the elderly, especially those with no family, and always seem to be alone. I just feel so bad for them, I would like to bring them all home with me, if only for a few hours to just sit and listen to them relive the past and share stories.

Also, animals ~~ any animals being mistreated or abused, they cant talk so I think we need to speak up for them and help.

Kids~~ I hate hearing about abused kids, (like the one on the news tonight from Wisc. , nude and hiding in a closet, he had been beaten and abused so bad) I just cringe at things like that. Corinne

 

[Pepipony]

Grocery shopping and seeing an elderly person with a ton of canned pet food and little else. Sure hope they just have a rotten pet!

Picking up prescriptions and seeing the person in front of me having a 3 or 4 digit bill. Now that just burns me right up!

 

[Miniv]

Any living being that is abused or neglected.

Very much a Ditto........

MA

 

[SWA]

There was a time when I could have filled pages and pages for all that my heart truly bled for.

As others have stated though, the wrongful abuse or neglect of any living being OR suffering in any form, be that human or animal, pretty much sums it up for me anymore. Plus, I will always cherish every moment I can share in love, care and friendship with the elderly.

: I'm more drawn to the elderly, because most I've been blessed to encounter have come to a point in their lives to realize that "TIME" is of the utmost precious thing, and more often than not, (at least by my own experience among them), they choose to spend their "time" with a GENUINE heart, and not waste of it being otherwise.

:

EDITED: To add a little...

:

 

[backwoodsnanny]

The death of a child for any reason.

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

Any time I see a dead animal on the road or roadside...I often say prayers asking God to please help deliver their souls. The poor creatures don't understand what roads are and we stupid people end up hitting them. I know sometimes it can't be helped but you know, I bet a lot less animals would be hit if it was mandatory for tall fences to be put up around all major roads! It just kills me inside when I see a poor animal torn and twisted all over the road, and then to be put to even more shame as their bodies are continuously ran over and dug deeper into the grit of the road....just sad.....

 

[Casnos Minis]

[SIZE=14pt]Any animal or kid being neglected or abused. I have a 3 year old foster daughter that was neglected and you can tell, she's so behind as far as 3 year olds go. Both my kids were potty trained , I can't even get her to tell us when she needs a new diaper. Her real mom let her sit in soiled diapers for hours in a porta crib with no toys. No excuse for not checking her!!!! She's been in care for a year now and they still aren't sure what's going to happen with her or her brother. We will deffinatly adopt her if the chance arises as we are her 3rd foster home already and I don't want to see her go in and out of foster homes the rest of her life. She has some major issues and that would just add to them.[/SIZE]

Christy

 

[twister]

[SIZE=14pt]Any animal or kid being neglected or abused. I have a 3 year old foster daughter that was neglected and you can tell, she's so behind as far as 3 year olds go. Both my kids were potty trained , I can't even get her to tell us when she needs a new diaper. Her real mom let her sit in soiled diapers for hours in a porta crib with no toys. No excuse for not checking her!!!! She's been in care for a year now and they still aren't sure what's going to happen with her or her brother. We will deffinatly adopt her if the chance arises as we are her 3rd foster home already and I don't want to see her go in and out of foster homes the rest of her life. She has some major issues and that would just add to them.[/SIZE]

Christy

Bless you Christy for taking in this little one

: I hope you are able to adopt her. I have a weakness for any vulnerable, living being that has or is being abused be it human or animal and the young and elderly are especially vulnerable in both species.

Yvonne

 

[Buckskin gal]

So good to see so many tender hearts here because sometimes it seems that people just don't care about anything except themselves. I give you all a big :aktion033: applause. I guess with all my soft spots, it is helpless, neglected, unloved children that my heart aches for the most. Any suffering of a living creature is difficult and makes my heart ache. Mary

For me, it's the elderly! Living out in the country, with the next biggest town being somewhat small as well, we are pretty limited to the amount of stores we have. Wally World and K-Mart are the only two department stores, though I never shop at K-Mart. Then we have a Pick N Save for groceries, and then a couple small hardware stores that are the hot spots for shopping for whatever you need.

I absolutely have a hard time going to shop at Wal-Mart during the morning or early afternoon, as I usually see elderly folks there just to walk, or kill time. It just breaks my heart to see them, and wonder if they are happy, or if they are lonely. On the way in today, there was an elderly woman who could barely walk she was so hunched over. I wonder if she has family who could help her, or if they are just to busy with life. I talked to a very sweet elderly man while I was checking out. He had about 20 Banquet dinners and a couple Hersey candy bars. I told him his candy bars looked good, just looking to start a little chat with him. He said they were for his grandkids..........awe!

Back in my crafty days, I used to make handmade greeting cards, and personally deliver them to the residents of a nursing home close to where I live. It was the best and worst experience. So sad, yet felt so good to see the happy look on their faces when they saw the cards.

I also have a VERY hard time when I hear stories about the elderly being abused. Not long ago when they showed the elderly woman on Good Morning America, who had been beat up for her purse, in NY I think, I literally cried it was so sad!

So, what is your "one thing" that just tears at your heart strings?

 

[Leeana]

The elderly do it for me to. I love senior citizens, it breaks my heart to see them just inching along hunched over though.

One thing that really tugs at the heart strings is seeing horses abused or starved. I cannot watch black beauty anymore because afterwards i am a wreck for hours :no:.

 

[Cathy_H]

The abuse of innocent people, especially babies & children & sexual abuse of the very young!

 

[JumpinJackFarm]

Oh my? There are Soooo many.....

the first that comes to mind is the birth of a "human" baby.

I have been to many and it is always so spiritual/happy & very tearful

( it's a Happy Cry)

I can watch a complete strangers on TV... and I am a blumbering idiot

:

The very next would be babies/small children starved and dieing ...the ones you see on PBS shows

I just want to cuddle and love them all .... it really grounds me.

And any neglect/abuse of ANY Animal or Human Being....

age...shape....size... doesn't make any difference.

Oh...and my heartstrings were really tugging when my son graduated last week....SO....I guess I have two more tearful cleansings in my future with my girls graduating.

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

One thing that I try to do when I see the elderly sitting on the bench at Wal-Mart, or just walking around with their empty carts, is try to always make eye contact, and simply just smile. If they are receiving that ok, I will maybe even stop and say hello. Some are nervous or shy. I admit, I am guilty of sometimes not always having time. There is one man who is always at Wal-Mart, and I will see him just about everytime I go. He knows EVERYONE that works there, he's like a permanent fixture I think. His wife has passed on, and he just loves to talk about the old days, or whatever. He'll show you pictures, and even give you a copy of his favorite poem. He'll be a counselor (sp?), and let you tell him your troubles. He likes to talk about his days in the airforce, and how they flew planes, and what happened to his buddies. Very nice man, who just wants a little bit of your time to chat.

I challenge all of you..........and even myself.......to just take that few extra seconds to smile at the elderly, or the lonely, and just say hello. You just don't know what that does for them to know that someone maybe understands just a little.

 

[AppyLover2]

The thing that most comes to mind here is a very old couple that I used to see frequently on my way to work. They'd be slowly walking down the sidewalk holding hands. Every time I saw them they were holding hands. Always choked me up. My feelings were a mixture of envy that they had each other and joy that they seemed so very much in love.

 

[Charley]

Anyone in pain....physical or emotional. ~anyone unhappy~

I feel that aging is a reality but aslo a thing that we don't really see until we approach it. I think it is a fear that we must face as we get older.

Many older people lose their loved ones, friends, and family, and feel so alone. Some are so interesting and some are not, just as in other age groups; people are people. It is nice when others reach out to those who are alone and include them in a part of their lives...even if only for a few minutes...it can brighten up their whole day!

 

[The Dynamic Duo]

The kids that I walk for their therapy, they ride the horses to build muscles.

The first time one of "my" therapy kids walked

:

The kids my family works with at Christmas, they were all abused and are really sweet hearrts including one of my good freinds there, Kara. She is the sweetest and her parents tried to burn her alive :no: I just can't believe that someone would do that to a human, never the less a child.

I guess thats what REALLY pulls my heart strings.