We spent the day with someone in her 90s yesterday. She is ninety four years and 2 months old, specifically. This woman is someone who is almost always upbeat, not focusing on the reality of her age or the various aches and pains that plague her, the inevitabilities of aging.
There was food, lots of it. Laughter. Family stories. Love. Sharing. A little bit of television viewing (football). A few dirty stories (she likes to tell dirty jokes). Then there was a moment when the two of us were alone together and she admitted , softly that she'd been feeling "lower than a snake's belly" lately, not a typical feeing for her .She also added how important the day had been to her, our company, the distraction and the joy.
I don't really know what the point of this article is. Maybe someone else can fill in the blanks. I don't have a "message" but I'm sharing this anyway.
I promised to write more as a member of one writing group here. So this is my contribution for today. The only thing I wanted to add was that even if you think you know someone, a person who may only be 20 or 30 years old....not 90 something....take the time to connect, to let them know you care and to listen - or maybe share a really super dirty joke, if that is of interest to the person. It could make a world of difference to people who seem happy on the outside but could be feeling down and hiding it from the world.
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Comments: 28
It may take such little effort and still mean so much... it's always worth making that little bit of effort.
You never know how just taking an extra moment to say thanks, hello, touch someone's shoulder can really brighten someone's day. I just got off the phone with a customer service rep and before I hung up, I wished her a happy new year. She said thanks and added that I was the first person to say that and she had been on the phone for four hours already.
It wasn't much but it was something:)
I know just what you mean. Spending so much time in my mother's nursing home has exposed me to countless people who get no opportunity to share thier innermost thoughts with anyone. The gratitude is overwhelming when we simply listen to their stories, give them hugs and kisses, and treat them like they are still relevant.
She sounds like a wonderful person, and must think very highly of you to share in her pain if she is truly that type of person.
You've just touched off a major "Guilt" button in me, lack of time. I think many families are struggling to make ends meet. We are doing okay but when winter break comes, the time gets eaten up, seemingly. But we are learning the art of time management, if only by a crash course in it, out of necessity.
This is lovely; this is love. Without contemplation and action on these things we could not thrive and grow.
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Your right. Just taking the time to connect with someone, and to let them know you care. Just to be there & listen can do wonders. Great message.