I haven't written since Tuesday? Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.
It's been an interesting week, actually, full of small emotional moments. The one I'm thinking about right now happened Thursday morning when I taught my Relief Society lesson at the rest home. One of the residents--an elderly woman with Down's (someone at the care center told me she is the oldest person in the state with Down's)--always gets to say the closing prayer. It's something she likes to do, something she looks forward to.
Anyway. She didn't get to say it this time. Someone else wanted a turn for a change. And when Barbara realized she wasn't going to say the prayer, she started to weep like a little child. Not a spoiled one--just one whose heart has been well and truly broken. Barbara cried through the entire prayer.
After the prayer was over, a few of the residents complained and told Barbara she was a baby. And, of course, I wanted to say, "Come on, you guys. Give her a break." But then I remembered that the care facility is the whole world of the residents and that the same dynamics we all experience in, say, an office setting or with extended family are at play there, too.
Which reminded me, of course, that no matter where we as human beings are--there we are.
4 comments:
So, when I weep at your paucity of posts, you'll understand? Truly, though, what a moment. Who knew there was a person who brought the light of relief society to the rest homes? Well done, you. A noble endeavor.
In cases like this, I always wonder why there can't be more prayers? (Not my call, obviously.) What this says to me is that there is always more than enough heartbreak to go around. And the fact that you'll sign up for this, the teaching in the care facility--you're gonna see it, aren't you? Hope you're getting some good breaths of snowy air and lots and lots of extra light. I know I need it.
xo
I experience this on, almost, a daily basis with my children. Since we adopted my niece we now have exactly seven people in our family. One for each day. Everyone is assigned a prayer day.
Not exactly a spiritual mandate, but still, it works.
I felt like I was there when I read your post. It was a touching insight into a scene. Well done for volunteering. Well done on the writing as well.
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