Last night brought back a flood of memories for me...some members of our church went to sing at an assisted living home. As I walked in, I saw the men and women living at the home sitting, waiting. I got the same feeling of discomfort I always get when in a situation like that...I suddenly don't know what to say or how to approach the people. This may surprise you about me...but it's true. Thankfully I had parents who pushed in that regard--they didn't give us an option about meeting people, talking to them, and getting over ourselves. So, I worked my way around the room, introducing myself and commenting on Christmas sweaters, the enormous Christmas tree, and what they had for supper.
The kids arrived and sang...then we sang a few selections...and finally, we all sang Christmas carols together. At the conclusion of the singing, we were mingling...the kids were walking around the room, passing out cards and giving and receiving hugs. And I got a little choked up...I had flashbacks from childhood--of being surrounded by the smells of the nursing home...discomfort...and reaching out to hold frail, cold hands...of kissing wrinkled faces...of gazing into old, yet clear blue eyes...of hugging grandmothers and grandfathers that were not my own. And I realized in that moment how important those times were. They softened my heart. They made me who I am today. They changed my heart to a greater purpose. They taught me about love.
After that, we went to the Alzheimer's unit of the building and sang for them. The piano was incredibly out of tune...I got tickled at that. Then a lady in the back put her fingers in her ears and started yelling, "It's just noise! Noise! Noise!" And we kept singing. We sang "Mary Did You Know?" and I got teary-eyed again..."the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again...the lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb." I couldn't help but think of the people in front of me...how they long to be healed physically and for their minds to be clear again. And they will experience that healing one day.
Then we sang some carols...always amazes me that Alzheimer patients remember every word. As we were singing "Winter Wonderland," a 99 year old woman came up to me at the front, in her wheelchair, and started dancing with me. I went with it--swayed, shook, sang...all of it. She said, "You are just the prettiest thing...and a good dancer. And I just love all of you." Then she told me that she was starting to perspire. I hugged her and a few others...one had cold hands...so I said, "Cold hands, warm heart, right?" She said, "Yeah (giggle) and dirty feet, no sweetheart!"
Joy and wisdom are found in the Alzheimer's unit of a nursing home. You never know what you're gonna get.
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