I've read many statements on this forum from people who have expressed the sentiment that you don't shove TTATT down the throat of an older person. It would be too traumatic and its best to let some people, in some situations, simply pass on in the delusion.
Its humane. Merciful.
In the initial roar of my awakening, I was unable to cuddle up to that sentiment; preferring, instead, to shove the blood curdling shock of TRUTH down the throat of anyone I could get my grip on... age be dammed.
Until tonight.
Upon my arrival at TTATT, one person, an old retired Baptist preacher, in genuine kindness, tenderly embraced me and offered to help. He was the father of a fellow (since passed away) that I used to date. Old man preacher never approved of my gay relationship with his son, but always treated me with respect. Now, 15 years later, preacher dude is on his last leg. He has had 3 strokes, the last one rendered him blind. He's 77 and giving up.
I sat as his table this evening and shared a meal. Reminding me that he was blind, he told me he had counted up to 23 ways to put his underwear on incorrectly. Always the comic. Mostly, though, the life has gone out of this man who was once ready to jokingly insult me, or tell a really stupid story, usually with himself as the butt of the joke.
He asked me to say grace before we ate.
My journey from die-hard JW to this evening has rendered me without faith in anyone up there listening, but I decided to recite a few lines from the old database anyway. I felt okay with that because the old man preacher will sleep well tonight knowing (believing) I'm okay with Jeezuz.