Distance
A while back I volunteered at a nursing home to entertain the people living there. I made a few acquaintances and enjoyed going, but always felt as though something wasn't right. Everyone seemed sad except the nurses, and I always felt awkward because I was so happy.
A couple of days ago, I sat down in the spare room to listen to Toby play his guitar. When he finished the song he was playing, he put down his guitar and sat down. We started talking and came upon the subject of nursing homes.
''Lynae, how were you able to be happy when you went to volunteer?'' Toby asked. ''Well, I knew that my job was to be cheerful, and cheerful I was.'' I answered. ''But there was so much sadness, how did you not see that?''
''I saw it and felt it, but I knew that if I couldn't be happy then surely I couldn't cheer someone else up. One thing is for sure, no matter what happens, we can't let Mom and Dad live in a nursing home. They would hate it, and every day I would feel as though I'd failed them. They belong here, and if they ever have to be assisted in living, It'll be our duty to take them in.''
I hope that we will never have to be separated like that. I would never want to be so far away that I can't be there for my parents, and hope that distance never holds me back when my family needs me.
That is so sweet, Lynae! I definitely think we have a biblical mandate to honor our parents, and I think that involves taking care of them when they can no longer take care of themselves.
ReplyDeleteA woman may have less choice about living near her parents than her brothers will have, as her husband may need to live somewhere else. But it is certainly a good thing to be thinking about now, instead of waiting until you've decided to marry someone that lives in Madagascar. :) If you put your mom in a nursing home, she might go back to her old "unsmiling" self!
ReplyDelete