A 'Cranky Old Man' Dies And Nurses Find A Surprise
GodUpdates Contributor
February 05, 2016
The Cranky Old Man
The emotional poem you'll find below is not new. The Sunday Post says it has actually been around for more than 40 years. But the poem has found new life a few times over, with the back story changing over the years. The version most currently making the rounds on social media is often referred to as "The Cranky Old Man." In it, a lonely old man in a nursing home passes away. While the nurses are cleaning the room, they happen up a poem he had written, which gives them an entirely different view of the man they'd so often dismissed as "the cranky old man." [rsnippet id="3" name="Article-Ad"] While the story behind the creation of the poem may be fictional, the message is no less powerful because of it.Like many inspiring movies and books, this short story may be fictional. However, the impact that this work will have on its readers is very real. Enjoy!
Credit: ThinkStock What do you see nurses? What do you see? What are you thinking, when you look at me? A cranky old man, not very wise, Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes? Who dribbles his food and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!" Who seems not to notice, the things that you do. And forever is losing... a sock or a shoe? Who, resisting or not lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill? Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see? Then open you eyes, nurse. You're not looking at me. I'll tell you who I am, as I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of 10, with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters, who love one another. A young boy of sixteen, with wings on his feet Dreaming that soon now, a lover he'll meet. A groom soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap, Remembering the vows, that I promised to keep. At 25, now I have young of my own, Who need me to guide, and a secure happy home. A man of thirty, my young now grown fast, Bound to each other, with ties that should last. At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone, But my woman is beside me, to see that I don't mourn. At fifty once more, babies play 'round my knee, Again we know children, my loved one and me. Dark days are upon me, my wife is now dead. I look at the future, I shudder with dread. For my young are all rearing young of their own, And I think of the years, and the love that I've known. I'm now an old man, and nature is cruel, It's jest to make old age look like a fool. The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart, There is now a stone, where once I had a heart. But inside this old carcass a young man still dwells, And now and again, my battered heart swells. I remember the joys, I remember the pain, And I'm loving and living, life over again. I think of the years, all too few, gone too fast, And accept the stark fact that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people, open and see: Not a cranky old man, Look closer, see ME! [rsnippet id="2" name="ArticleAd-300x250-3"]
Our elders should be respected, but the sad fact is that you can find many like the man portrayed in this fictional story. It's easy to brush off those who seem grouchy or abrupt. But the next time you encounter someone like this, take a step back try to look a little closer. Try to see what may be behind the gruff exterior. Is there someone in your life who could use a little extra kindness? The widow at church? The reclusive neighbor down the street? Maybe even someone in your family? Pray on it, and let God guide you to the person that needs a little extra love today.
"Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent." Psalm 71:9
Here's another touching tale about a marine who held a dying man's hand!
h/t: HeftyDon't miss this moving parable about a father's love!
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Carrying More Than You Were Made to Carry - Your Daily Prayer - June 15
Heavenly Father, I'm coming to You today tired in a way sleep doesn't fix. You see the load I've been carrying.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Carrying More Than You Were Made to Carry - Your Daily Prayer - June 15
Heavenly Father, I'm coming to You today tired in a way sleep doesn't fix. You see the load I've been carrying.
Past Stories
June 2026
- 10 Upbeat Songs For Your Summer Road Trip
- 7 Prayers For Your Kids For Safety While They Are Off For The Summer
- Community Welcomes Beloved Mailman Back After Beating Cancer, 'He's the Mailman of the Century'
- For Their 40th Anniversary, Utah Couple Decides to Bike 4,000 Miles Across the Country
- A Father's Final Goal Lives On as His Family Completes 365 Days of Playing Catch
- Teacher and Fellow Students Support Young Girl Battling Cancer With Her Favorite Thing, Music
- Firefighters Adopt This Sweet Pup That Ended Up Outside the Firehouse
- 90-Year-Old Gets Master's Degree and Becomes Oldest Person to Graduate from Texas School
- The Lie That Keeps People Away From God
- Couple Celebrating Their Diamond Anniversary Shares the Secrets to Their Long Marriage
- A School in Pennsylvania Buried a Time Capsule in 1976, They’ve Finally Opened It 50 Years Later
- A Woman Battling Incurable Cancer Set Her Sights on Everest, and Made It to the Top
- Woman Walks Away With Only a Few Scratches After a Car Crashes Through Her Windshield
- A Simple Wrong Number Led to a Beautiful Friendship Between Two Strangers
- 5 Moments That Prove Moms Always Show Up at the Perfect Time
- Community Steps Up to Honor WWII Veteran With No Known Family
- Soldier Surprises Daughter at Her High School Graduation, and it's So Sweet
- Firefighters Save a Little League Game and Give the Kids a Memory They Will Never Forget
- The Delay That Upgraded My Faith
- A Nurse Saved a Baby No One Thought Would Survive, 50 Years Later, They Still Have a Strong Bond
- This Mom and Daughter Share Life at a Retirement Community, and it is Quite a Special Thing
- California Couple Celebrates Their 80th Anniversary, After Meeting As Teenagers
- Martin Short Opens Up About Love, Loss, and Finding Joy Through Life’s Hardest Moments
- After Being Paralyzed Nearly 2 Years Ago, This Man Walked Across the Stage to Earn His MBA
- When a Graduation Photo Went to the Wrong House, Strangers Became Family
May 2026
- Your Testimony Does Not Have to Be Dramatic to Be Powerful
- Born in 1918, This 108-Year-Old Woman Has No Plans of Slowing Down Anytime Soon
- Woman Gives Birth to Baby On Airplane With the Help of Passengers
- 85-Year-Old Man Receives His Doctorate Degree, 'It's Never Too Late'
- Little Girl Dancing Her Heart Out During Class Graduation Performance Goes Viral
- Joanna Gaines Father's Day Post Reveals How Different Her Life Could've Been If Not For God's Plan
- Baby Who Was Born Twice After Miracle Surgery is About to Celebrate His First Birthday
- A Man Took the Stage at Graduation, Then Announced He Was Paying Off Student Loans
- Strong Enough to Serve
- His Grandma Never Got to Go to a Prom, So This Young Man Took Her to His
- Triplets Turn 86-Year-Old and Have So Much to Share, 'God Has Been Very Very Good to Us'
- Pilot’s Final Flight Was Canceled, Then a Rival Airline Gave Him the Goodbye He Deserved
- First Grader Saves His Classmate From Choking, Now An Honorary Member of the Fire Department
- Couple Delivers Their Own Baby Girl at a Stoplight, Not Making it to the Hospital in Time
- After 30 Years Apart, These Siblings Found Each Other Again in a Retirement Home
- He Helped Deliver Her, Then Became a Lifelong Friend—22 Years Later, He Watched Her Graduate
- 7 Country Songs For Graduation Day and Graduates
- Top 10 Christian Graduation Songs For the Graduate
- A Grandpa Just Completed the World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle, 60,000 Pieces in All
- Memorial Day Cookout Hacks and Tips Worth Celebrating
- What It Actually Means to Forgive Someone Who Never Apologized
- 95-Year-Old Veteran Honored by Schoolchildren in Sweet Birthday Celebration
- Dolly Parton Gives Update on Her Health and Life After the Loss of Her Husband
- A Beautiful Reunion at a California Hospital Brings NICU Families and Care Teams Back Together
- Teens Receive Unexpected Surprise After Being Spotted Praying Before Prom
Top Music Videos
toby mac TobyMac Drops ‘Heaven On My Mind’ Official Music Video
Colton Dixon 'The Other Side' - Colton Dixon Song For Lost Loved Ones
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Lauren Daigle ‘Trust In You’ – Beautiful Worship Song From Lauren Daigle
![Lynda Randle, Mom Winans, Vestal Goodman and Bishop Jakes - His Eye Is on the Sparrow [Live]](https://i.swncdn.com/cdn/160w/godtube/2012/12/18/422865-004.jpg)
Vestal Goodman Lynda Randle, Mom Winans, Vestal Goodman and Bishop Jakes - His Eye Is on the Sparrow [Live]
Blog
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.