WHAT THEY TEACH US..............

I LOVE THE ELDERLY...........I ENJOYED
MY PARENTS AS THEY GREW OLDER
AND MORE IN LOVE....MARRIED 68
YEARS.............

I LOVE TO VISIT THOSE IN NURSING HOMES............MOST PEOPLE HAVE A HARD
TIME VISITING AND BEING AROUND SUCH PLACES........I GUESS IT COULD BE TO MANY
A FINAL PLACE THEY NEVER WANT TO BE...........

BUT I LOOK AT THE FACES. I SEE THE LIVES THAT ONCE WERE. MANY WERE WWII
VETERANS. SOME WERE LADIES THAT RAN A HOME OF MANY CHILDREN; RAN A BUSINESS; OR WERE AN ACTIVE PART OF THE EVERYDAY LIFE............

BUT NOW..........ALL MANY OF THESE THINGS GONE. GONE IS THE LARGE HOME;
THE BEAUTIFUL FURNISHINGS. GONE IS THE BUSINESS OF DAILY LIVING REPLACED
WITH A WHEELCHAIR AND A TABLE FULL OF NEW FACES AROUND A TABLE WITH
A BIB TUCKED UNDER THEIR CHIN. GONE IS THE LIFE THEY ONCE KNEW AND ALONG WITH THAT THEIR WILL.

NOW........THEY MUST ANSWER TO A NURSE; THEY MUST HAVE SOMEONE CHANGE
THEIR BEDDING; GIVE THEIR BATH; CHANGES THEIR CLOTHES AND TELL THEM
WHEN THEY MUST WAKE UP OR GO TO SLEEP.

I REMEMBER WHEN MY MOM WAS IN A "HOME" FOR A SHORT TIME FOR HER
REHAB. I WAS SO TAKEN BACK AS I WATCHED THEM WHEEL HER DOWN THIS HALL
TO A SMALL DINING AREA. SHE SAT WITH "STRANGERS" AND ATE AN AVERAGE MEAL. I REMEMBER SO MUCH THAT THIS WAS THE WOMAN WHO MADE EVERYONE'S MEALS. SHE SERVED BEAUTIFUL TABLES WITH BEAUTIFUL DISHES. THEIR WAS JOY IN HER HOME AND MUSIC AND LIFE...........I WAS SADDENED TO SAY...........BUT............

SHE NEVER COMPLAINED. SHE JUST ACCEPTED HER LIFE AS IT NOW WAS AND MADE THE BEST OF HER NEW PLACE.

WHAT DID THIS TEACH ME?

1. ACCEPT WHERE GOD SENDS YOU AND LEARN TO BE HAPPY......

2. LEARN TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS WHERE YOU ARE........

3. DONT LOOK AT THE PAST BUT KEEP YOUR EYES FORWARD .....

4. HAVE A CONTENT AND JOYFUL ATTITUDE............

5. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE CLIMBING A LADDER TO SUCCESS
OR TRYING TO GET TO THAT GREAT POSITION REMEMBER
IT CAN ALL BE GONE IN AN INSTANT. BUT.............GOD WITH HIS
MERCY AND TRUTH CAN RAISE YOU UP AND USE YOU IN GREAT
AND MIGHTY WAYS...........

6. DONT QUIT. REMEMBER WHO IS HOLDING YOUR HAND AND HE WILL
NEVER FAIL YOU.

I HAVE LEARNED ALOT FROM THE ELDERLY AND THEIR LIVES. I PRAY
THE NEXT TIME I AM AT THE GROCERY STORE AND SOME ELDERLY ONE
IS HAVING A HARD TIME REACHING THAT SHELF TOP OR OPENING A
BAG I CAN TAKE THE TIME TO "CARE' FOR THESE BLESSED ONES.....