There’s no understanding the alone part of facing death, or even a terminal illness.
Some people choose to be isolated and I get that, but Alice didn’t choose that and the gentle man I met this week, didn’t choose his isolation either. Some times life just puts us in a place we can’t find a way out of; Thank goodness for Al and the angels among us who watch over those alone in this world.
Alice may never make it to Hospice. She’s at peace now because she knows she will be comforted and she feels the caring words of a man who may not be family, but he certainly is a friend. She will feel his presence for the rest of her days.
Death might be ready to enter her room; none of us can do anything about that; but Alice has lived long enough to have made a life long friend. Something that took her entire life to accomplish.
What a wonderful gift.
January 19, 2014 @ 6:52 pm
Angels are all over the place, Al you keep my faith in that idea.
January 17, 2014 @ 6:49 pm
Thank you Laurie for your kind words. I knew Alice about a year before my daughter began to go with me to deliver MOW. Alice and I were friends. When my daughter joined me, she became a light in the darkness for Alice. Alice opened up and really allowed us to spend time with her. I must say that my daughter built the bridge of friendship with her that endures today. My daughter teaches at our church pre-school and so has a personality and an approach that overcomes potential barriers before they are erected. We make a pretty good team and have and are cultivating other friends at the senior center where we deliver meals. There is a book of stories in just the 14 people we serve. Come ride with us one day. We’ll introduce you to people who’ll give you a hug, offer a ready smile, tell you a snippet of info about their past lives, offer insight in how to deal with adversity and maintain your sense of humor and gratitude and you’ll get to meet their pets…dogs and cats. It is just a great day at MOW.
And yes, there is sadness when one of ours passes away. We cherish the time we have with them each week.
January 17, 2014 @ 7:04 pm
Al…you and your daughter are very special people…angels on earth for sure. God bless you both.
January 18, 2014 @ 9:15 am
Thank you Kathie for your kind words. My Mother would get a kick out of your comments…using my name in the same sentence with “angel”!! It has taken me a very, very, very long time to understand what true blessings are. Her work with me over 50+ years was not in vain.
As we all know, there are people who do very noble work everyday in our world tending to those who can no longer care for themselves. They are selfless; seek no recognition nor acclaim and most likely never receive any and do their work joyfully. I have been fortunate to have met 3 of them over my lifetime. They are angels in every sense of the word.