While visiting a home for the elderly recently I noticed that many of them were staring out the window, lost in their own thoughts. I wondered what they were thinking. Were they thinking of what they were going to have to eat that evening at supper? Were they thinking of a happier time in their younger years? Perhaps they were trying to remember what a hug felt like or the touch of a baby’s skin.
Many elderly people are lonely, as their loved ones have passed on and they are now all alone. They are the last survivors in their family, as they have outlived everyone. They express how they are ready to go and meet them, as there is nothing left for them here and nobody who has been close to their hearts is still living.
Just as I was deep in thought thinking about this a woman came in holding onto a leash. She had her faithful friend with her, her beloved dog. The faces that had been staring into nothingness were not snapped back to attention and focused on this furry and friendly creature. Their faces reflected joy with a slight upturning of the corners of their mouths. They were enchanted with the silly antics of this dog.
This woman, out of the goodness or her heart, brings her dog in every week so that these people will be distracted and not have to think about how lonely they are. It is only once a week and only for an hour or so, but for that one hour they are uplifted and not feeling as lonely as they had been. She takes the time to visit each and every person and pay special attention to them.
If there is someone elderly in your life, give them the precious gift of time. If you don’t know anyone who is elderly and have an hour to spare every so often, consider visiting your local home for the aged. What you give them is some time to feel whole again. What they will give you in return is priceless.