God Bless the Elderly

Due to variety of things popping up (illnesses, weather, appointments), my "Mom Therapy" friend & I have had to postpone our get-togethers w/ our kids in the past few weeks. On Sunday evening, while her daughter was at church practicing for the youth ministry's Stations of the Cross presentation, we decided to meet at Tim Hortons. We took our older boys along, too. 

We let the boys have their own table & it worked out great. They had so much fun talking & laughing, playing a new card game. I kept hoping they weren't making too much noise for other patrons. It wasn't crowded, but these days, you never know how grumpy or impatient others might be. 

An elderly woman sat a few tables over w/ her family (daughter & SIL, I believe). She turned around to us & remarked that she was enjoying the boys' laughter. Before they left, she walked over to the boys' table to show them a cute toy that she keeps in her purse...a pink, squishy, rubber turtle that lights up when you shake it. Very Cute!

She then stepped over to our table. Almost in a whisper, she leaned in & said that she just turned 91. WOW! She looked great & I told her that she was beautiful. She then said that her family thought she was nuts. I said that's okay...at 91, she's entitled to be nuts if she wants to be!

As they were leaving, I told them that I hoped the boys didn't bother them. All three agreed that the boys were well-behaved & it did them good to see them having so much fun together. 

The whole interaction w/ this family really touched me. It was just a short, simple encounter, but one that has stuck w/ me. I keep picturing that dear lady's face, lighting up & enjoying the antics of these young men of ours. Even now, I'm tearing up remembering this sweet encounter.

God bless the elderly among us! They often go under-appreciated by society, as I see frequently at the nursing home I work at...esp. those who never have a single visitor. They may not be able to do the things they once could. They may not have the same mental capacity they once had. But they are still human beings, children of God who deserve respect & dignity. If only all men & women could be like Mother Teresa, who saw Jesus in those whom she cared for...these dear elderly people would get the love & care they so deserve!