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 You
ever sign up for something and then sit back and wonder what the heck did I do
that for? You know, you’re feeling really good, in the holiday spirit and
someone says ..”We need a place for our Christmas party “ and you jump up
and say…”We’ll do it.” Then
as the day for the party gets closer you realize that your plate was already
full and you have just committed social overload. We’ve all done this at one
time or another. I’ve volunteered for cookies, cakes and other stuff that
would require some effort on my part in the months ahead only to look around and
find that the due date is about 24 hours away and I haven’t started on
anything. Then you go into a kind of blind panic in trying to cope with all of
your normal day to day stuff as well as the things that you added on top of
everything else. No wonder we lose our hair and turn gray overnight. We do it to
ourselves. The point of all this is to lead up to the story for the week. Months
ago, I mean months ago, I promised my 70 something year old Aunt that I would
get her out to California to visit her 90 something year old sister. Well, as
the time slipped by, it became obvious that she could not make the trip by
herself. So, like the good little soldier that I am I jumped up and
said…”Don’t worry, I’ll take you.” Well, I bought the tickets and
promptly forgot about the deal. Then a week or so ago, it dawned on me
what the date was and that we were to leave in a few days. I haven’t
started Christmas, I have the flu and this is really a busy time of the year for
me, what can I do? Well, the obvious answer would have been…just call her up
and tell her that you’re sick and can’t go. But, in the back of my mind I
knew that this trip was important and that this would probably be the last time
she would see her older sister. I ran around for a day or so flanging up the
loose ends and tossing down Vitamin C, aspirins and whatever else we had in the
medicine cabinet. By the time we were to take off, I was feeling like I might
live, but just barely. Well, let me tell you that the decision to go was one of
the best ones I’ve made all year. First off, I had to rest. What else could I
do? While she went to the nursing home where her sister lives, I slept and just
kind of chilled out. I worked on paperwork, made phone calls, drank a lot of
coffee and generally let everything slide by. When my Aunt got through at the
home and was ready to go to dinner, we talked. We talked about everything. Her
life growing up, our relatives, the family history, who did what to who, who
died, who lived, what happened to Uncle so-in-so and everything in between. It
was a hoot to say the least. You know we’re so busy doing things that get us
through the day, that we often don’t take time for something unusual. You know
the old saying…”Take time to smell the roses.” Well, we don’t. And we
should. Someday, the roses won’t be there or we’ll in a place where it’s
impossible for us to smell them. It did me a world of good to get away from home
for a few days and look around at new things, to kind of get a new perspective
on life. It was a new experience to go inside a nursing home again and see what
is happening to our older relatives. God bless those people that choose to work
there. My heart and prayers go out to them for their dedication and devotion to
their profession. I don’t believe I could do what they do. In fact I know I
couldn’t do what they do. The place was clean, the personnel who worked there
were pleasant and cheerful and everyone had a good attitude. My great Aunt, the
90-year-old was alert and lucid. Something we were both thankful for. She knew
us, she laughed, she joked and she told stories. It was really a good way to
basically say goodbye to someone who has been in your entire life. She wasn’t
going to run any foot races, that’s for
sure, but she did have a good sense of humor. My 70 year Aunt did my 90 year
Aunt’s fingernails while we were there and talking. My 70 year Aunt told her
sister…”Now, when we’re through with you, you’ll probably have to chase
the boys off when they see these nails.” My 90 year Aunt looked up and
said…”Well, that wouldn’t be so bad.” Hope springs eternal doesn’t it?
Good-byes were said, pictures taken and on the road again. Planes were on time.
The stewards and stewardesses seemed nicer to me for being the companion of an
older lady. They fawned over her and the service was really exceptional. Funny
how things work out don’t they? Here I am imaging that I would be under major
stress and sick. I come back feeling a lot better due to the extra rest I had
gotten and had a wonderful time to boot. One of those once in a lifetime
memories. On the other hand, maybe not, if things work out, perhaps we could
make the trip out there again next year. It did me more good than anyone. Have a
good week. Take a moment out to think about all you have and not what you
don’t have. Hug someone and call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile.
It’s that time of the year. oh, yes and volunteer to bake those cookies,
you’ll find the time somewhere. We always do.
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