The past few weeks, I've had the privilege of visiting with and helping a senior couple from church. They are a precious husband and wife who I've sat in front of at church for five years, but had little contact with beyond a handshake.
As I sat visiting with the husband in his hospital room tonight, I realized just what a privilege and honor it has been to spend time with them. I think my time with them had been so task focused, that I hadn't really seen it before now.
During this time, they have been downsizing and moving out of their home and into an apartment. Neither are very mobile, leaving the bulk of their move in the hand's of their children. Neither one of them has felt their best and have rotated turns in and out of the hospital, ER and doctor's offices. This had to be one of the more difficult times in their lives.
In the times I have spent with them, I've gotten to see the best of them despite everything else around them. I've gotten to see the smiles, hear the jokes, laugh with them, hear the family stories, see their gratitude and most of all, witness the love for them and from them to those around them.
At different times, both of them shared in different ways how thankful they were for their three children who were doing so much to help them. It always comes with momentary surprise when I hear a father talk about how much they love their "girls." I always have to fight back the tears as it sinks into my heart that father's are supposed to have that love for their children.
I experienced the same thing as I sorted through items with the wife. It was nearly a chain reaction of tears when I saw her saddened at the thought of getting rid of things her children had given her. It was a reminder to me that when a mother loves her children, she never wants be apart from them.
It hasn't all been sad and teary. There has been lots of laughing too. Having worked in three nursing homes, I've been around a lot of aging people. Most of them are grouchy and understandably so. In their own way, these two have such a wonderful sense of humor. I have learned how important it is to be able to keep things light-hearted when nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is in your control.
Toward the end of a long, tiring day, there was a hint of a smile and laugh from the wife as she watched me fail to kill a spider after 12 attempts. No kidding, that spider wouldn't be smashed by anything. I'm sure it was an entertaining sight. I think it was what we both needed to go into another round of purging and packing.
Even though we both spent some time laughing and chatting, I think the visit to the hospital tonight to see the husband did more for me than him. After several really bad days, I needed those deep belly laughs while we were swapping some funny family stories.
I don't think I've ever had anyone thank me as much as these two have, nor feed my ego. Literally, all I have done is help with the move in small ways and fix them a meal. They have probably thanked me a 100 times. Tonight, one of the nurses at the hospital was told that I was the "best chef in the whole church." He was far too generous with that statement, but what a compliment! I must admit, just the idea that anything had made him happy was like a ray of sunshine in my dark little world. Again, I feel a little guilty cause I think I got far more from this couple than I gave to them.
I'm so thankful for the time I've had with these two and I hope to have more. I can only hope I have half the humor, love and support when I am their age.
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