We had a really nice Thanksgiving, and we spent Thursday visiting my Grampa in the nursing home. He just moved there a couple weeks ago, and it has been a difficult transition. He has Parkison's disease, and it has been so difficult to watch his health decline.
As we spent time among the elderly, I was hit with the sobering reality of just how temporary our time here on Earth really is, and my heart ached with compassion for each person in the home's care. It also made me thankful for the Catholic teaching on the dignity of the human person. Every life has value including the frail wheelchair bound man who talks to himself or the Alzheimer's patient who is bed ridden and has lost almost all function.
I want my Grampa to know that even though he can no longer take us water skiing, play tennis, do magic tricks, play the saxophone, or take thousands of photographs, he is still loved and valued, and his life still has purpose and meaning.
St. Anthony of Padua, patron of the elderly, pray for us!
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love the elderly. I can't stand when I see a old person sitting alone at a restaurant; they look so lonely!
I'm praying for you and your grandfather. He sounds like an amazing person!
I"m with you on the Loft. I have to delete the emails quickly!!! TOO tempting! :)
ReplyDeleteI"m sorry about your Grandpa. Mine is in a similar situation and has been in rehab for the last month. They're about to release him and it's the giant home/facility question. He lives a LONG way away and WILL NOT consider moving in with my family. It's a really hard situation.
That's one of the things I loved most about JPII is that he was so fragile for so long. Everyone was always waiting for him to die it seemed but he just hung in there with so much dignity. Blessings on your grandfather - he has a wonderful legacy in you!
ReplyDeleteGod bless your grandpa!! I have visited nursing homes with my children, and it really does ground you. It makes my heart just fill with love for those wonderful people who have lived for so many years. Society doesn't have much use for them, but God does.
ReplyDeleteDitto what Danya said about JPII!
Ditto what everyone else said! ;) (don't I always do that? ;))... I love kids and elderly people most HA! I mean, I love all of you, too ;) but I mean working with them...it's so sad sometimes yet so rewarding and so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love the elderly as well and have always felt a strong connection with my grandparents, their friends, those dear men & women at church, so I appreciate your post. I didn't know St. Anthony was the patron of the elderly and I think that is cool! Thanks for including that.
ReplyDeleteAs far as shopping...I am pretty much done. I just need to wrap now. It has been nice not having to stress out about the gifts giving...it is not a source of fun for me unlike most others probably.
What a beautiful post! My grandmother also had Parkinson's. It's so great you are showing love to him and visiting (and I love the comment about JPII).
ReplyDeleteAnd um, how did I miss that LOFT sale???