Walking through a Nursing Home, I am confronted with the degradation of mankind when they near the end of their life's journey.
A reality that hits me when I see humans lying in an empty state of mind, lonely and unattended to - I find myself at times not wanting to engage with them either by eye contact or vocally because I don't have enough time to just sit and listen - this makes me feel sad and guilty.
What are they thinking?
How do they feel about it all?
Do they have people who have forgotten them, are their people too busy?
Perhaps they can't face the reality of the futility of life. The thought that this will be me someday certainly leaves me dismayed.
Though I must say.. as I sit here in my lounge room tonight with my parents, and my Father talks of all the things he has in his shed, it occurs to me that everything we own has a story and this story is a part of us. To give it all up and be thrown into a nursing home with nothing to remind of others, this must be heart breaking and scary for the elderly.
I consider all the things in my home and realise that if you would walk with me for a little bit and allow me to share, then I could tell you a story behind every single item in my house.
I am not a hoarder by any means, I am a minimalist, however I do have some extremely beautiful friends & family who have given me gifts over the years, each gift comes with a story which reminds me of how much I am loved.
Have you ever studied the 5 Love Language books? I always thought my love language was 'acts of service', but as I am getting older I am thinking that it may be 'gift giving'; I seem to display the gifts given to me in a way where I can stop and admire them whilst remembering the person who gave it to me and how special they made me feel by loving me this way.
It dawned on me that everything tells a story... every photo I have up, everything from the little angel on my piano to the chandelier hanging in my dining room that my Mother gave me... there is a story there.
How sad it is that we are too busy to listen or be interested in others... This has definitely been a lesson for me, to not place MY value on another persons story, but to try to learn to place their value on it. After all, that is compassion isn't it?
Jesus listened.....
Be challenged and be blessed.
Let's walk together in this valley and encourage each other along the way. In my blog, I share a few of my own thoughts and experiences as I navigate this life's journey. I am not a professional writer and I certainly do not promote anything other than my own life lessons, If they can benefit you, great! If not please pass by peacefully.
