It has been written and stated that being grateful is very good for the soul. It tends to free up selfishness, pity for ourselves, envy, and ego...all sorts of 'demons' that dance in our heads from time to time.
It has been witnessed, and heard by me (and others as well) as I sat with many over the years the halo effect that comes upon one you are with when you see and hear and feel the power of unconditional Love in a room.
May was propped up in her hospital bed with a triangle sponge type pillow. She couldn't breathe as well if she was lying down flat. Her heart was weary but her spirit was still very healthy! All her creature comforts surrounded her 'nest'. A Dutch girl handmade quilt was at the foot of the bed. Ivory eyelet and crocheted pillow slips that she had made in the 50's covered her favorite feather pillows. Her orange tabby cat, Whiskers, sat in her antique rocker in gingham upholstery next to the door in case he needed to make an escape when more visitors arrived. At times he hid under the bed when the great-grands came over.
May had sent word to her congregation at the church, her quilting group, women's prayer group, family, friends, and neighbors that she was dying and if they wanted to see her while she could still talk they best be coming within the week. And that they did.
"Why wait till I'm dressed up in that casket to pay their respects?! I'd like to see and hear them now. Bring me a rose today, not later! I can let them know if I need to quit talking and rest and they can just give me a smile, or give me a gentle hug."
And they were so respectful of her wishes, quietly tiptoeing into her space until she hollered the best she could, "Get on in here, I'm not gone yet. Let's put on those Happy Goodman Family albums. Pull up that folding chair and gather around and sing for me.
Sit here and let me tell you what you have meant to me all these years."
Some of her friends would tell me as she was visiting with others about all she had done for others in her lifetime without a proud bone in her body...simply humble and eager to make a cake, fix a pot of soup with cornbread, babysit a child after the school bus dropped them off to an empty house, visit the nursing home,...the list was endless.
I am thankful!! Thankful for all these patients, their families, their visitors, their education they have given me over the past 30 some odd years. They reminded me that We Are One Human Family. I taught them about comfort care, medication side effects, safety measures, skin care, etc. And they taught me about Life and Death. Oh! And that we are all precious in God's eyes. He sees better than we do!!
What about you today? Do you know someone you need to make a call to, send a card to, go sit on the porch with them and say to them how much you appreciate them in your life? Go on, go do it!! They will be so thankful you did!!
Peace and Love to all
Becki
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