Mission accomplished as to my grumpy, older neighbors. While Liam was taking a nap, Pat and Lilly ran some errands stopping to get flowers on the way home. They did a fine job of picking them out as it was a very big bouquet of all kinds of flowers that were bright and cheerful…and perfect. I quickly got a pretty vase, trimmed and arranged the flowers, and wrote a “We’re Thinking of You” card…and asked the older children to come get us next door should Liam wake up…and off Pat and I went.
I will admit I was nervous, that I didn’t know what to expect…but I was determined to see it through. I dreaded getting caught up talking about aches and pains. That is the selfish me. I dreaded having awkward moments of silence. That, too, is the selfish me. But onwards our feet took us.
Pat rang the door bell and George (not his real name) answered the door and was rather taken aback to see us standing there holding flowers. I think I stammered that we just wanted to brighten their day some and thought some flowers would be the way to go. As I finished, Lucy (not her real name) shuffled to the door saying, “come in, come in”…and over the threshold we went…into a home that was immaculately clean and smelling of moth balls and old age. Do you know the smell? But what was amazing was the life that still dwelt within.
Lucy took us into her kitchen where she placed the vase in the middle of her island saying over and over again how nice the flowers were…how pretty they were…and how nice of us to think of them. She read the card and I think I saw her lip quiver a bit as she gently smiled to herself. In response to our accolades as to their home, George started talking about all the work that they had put into their home. In a few minutes, we were seated in their living room and talking about…I’m not really sure what. As Pat and George talked, I looked at all the pictures around their home…their carefully taken care of knickknacks…the history and the clues as to the life they had lived…and it rather took my breath away. Not because of anything super spectacular…but because of the life that those things chronicled.
Lucy showed off her stain-busting elixir that she uses on her couch and the cat that seems as old as they are! Then she showed me items that revealed her German heritage. She was born and raised in Germany and came to the United States as a very, very lovely young lady. How do I know she was lovely? Because she showed me framed pictures of herself as a young girl…and boy, was she a looker! She was positively beautiful. In the photograph, her eyes seemed to sparkle with mischief and she seemed to glow with youth. She was healthy and vibrant…and oh, so happy looking. She showed me several pictures – wedding pictures, family pictures…but no children. She and George were unable to have any. They tried, she said, but it just never worked out. She said she was okay with it as her sister had eight! And yet there was just something in her that seemed to ache for the lost chance of even having had one. My heart went out to her.
She offered us a Coke. She offered us croissants. Pat and George talked about investments and sports and I don’t know what else. It became clear that this “fast” visit could turn into more but we were worried for the children next door. We tried to leave but they were so hungry for the visit. They prepared some pie for us to take with us…and then they just had to give us a tour of the house…and it was so hard to leave them…but we promised we would visit again…and we will.
I’m ashamed of myself, really. How could it be that I live next to these people and I stayed away…because I didn’t want to be bothered, because I don’t have the time. We were there but 25 minutes and it made such an impact on them. What I am learning on this quest is that it takes so very little time! We have this idea in our minds that things must take SO long…but they really don’t!
The fact is that George and Lucy are still alive…and have such stories to tell…and it wasn’t boring or awkward or annoying or anything other than interesting…and dare I say “fun.” They have lived their lives and they definitely have way more yesterdays than they have tomorrows left…and who cares about them? They have outlived their families; they don’t have children…and when they pass…who will care that they lived? That they hurt and laughed and cried and hoped and dreamed and all the things we do in our own lives now…that they, in fact, continue to do those things?
Where and when does life become so devoid of value that no one can stop for a moment and say, “hello, how are you doing today?” and really listen to the other person?
I pray that the Lord grant me a long life…and I pray when I’m as old as they are, that some young whippersnapper will stop in and say a “hello, how are you”…and not only take a moment to listen to me…but also to share what is going on with them as things will be so vastly different for them then than it now is for me in my prime.
The best things about this quest are the lessons I’m learning and the ah-ha moments I’m having. If we don’t value others now, who will value us later?
I’m glad we did what we did…and just like Mystic Park Rehab Center, we will be back for more visits…especially once the weather warms up some and we can watch the children play outside our front lawns.
I like what Proverbs 16:31 says: gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.
To Lucy and George – Merry Christmas…and thank you, thank you for a valuable lesson.
Until tomorrow… Annie
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