remember how i'm on a team called L'aMet? we performed at a facility for alzheimers and dementia patients recently. i love old people, so i was really excited to perform and talk with them.
the first day we got there was a shakedown on my nerves. i have a sincere heart for people with alzheimer's and/or dementia, mainly because my grandfather has it. i thought i'd be totally okay, and for about 15 minutes i was. it was heartbreaking, though, and i ended up breaking down afterwards. i can't even explain the strange cocktail of emotions i had. it was despairing, but with a sort of nostalgia and personal hurt mixed in. the second day, i was determined to be better, stronger, kinder. i had to be. i couldn't handle a second day like that.
once again, i performed, and once again i attempted to be loving and kind to the people there. it proved to be incredibly easier the second day. there was this wonderful, softspoken old man who was so much like my grandfather. after a brief period of small talk he told me, with near-perfect clarity, about his life as a stock-broker on wall street and how he used to travel the world. i also met his wife, who had married him only 13 years ago. *insert cheesy quote about love being timeless* she had one killer wedding ring, too. the diamond was the size of my thumb nail, i kid you not. he leaned over to me and whispered that he took out a loan for it and smiled. it was precious.
i also met this woman whose name was Honey, and let me tell you, the name suited her. she was as sweet as she could be, and (in my opinion) didn't have that bad of parkinson's or dementia. i was privileged enough to hear her life's story. she met her husband in WWII while they were both in the air force. they got married and stayed in the armed forces until vietnam, when they got caught up in an attack. her husband died, and she was captured as a prisoner of war for 3 years. she showed me her left hand, which was still bent and scarred from it.
she told me about how the grace of God got her through that time in her life, and how she was sure that He had big plans for her, even to this day. she cried a little bit as she recalled memory after memory. she told me she was sometimes still afraid, but that she had faith. she had a firm grasp on the grace of God and his plan for bringing her through all of that. i agreed with her wholeheartedly, and I still pray for that darling old woman.
Honey helped me immensely. God must have known how much i needed someone to speak truth to me that day. she encouraged me to persevere in the worst of times, because God is still good and He has a bigger plan. i remember her fondly, and i hope she's still there when we go back.
Song of the Day: "Beyond the Blue" by Josh Garrels (listen ----> here!)
the first day we got there was a shakedown on my nerves. i have a sincere heart for people with alzheimer's and/or dementia, mainly because my grandfather has it. i thought i'd be totally okay, and for about 15 minutes i was. it was heartbreaking, though, and i ended up breaking down afterwards. i can't even explain the strange cocktail of emotions i had. it was despairing, but with a sort of nostalgia and personal hurt mixed in. the second day, i was determined to be better, stronger, kinder. i had to be. i couldn't handle a second day like that.
once again, i performed, and once again i attempted to be loving and kind to the people there. it proved to be incredibly easier the second day. there was this wonderful, softspoken old man who was so much like my grandfather. after a brief period of small talk he told me, with near-perfect clarity, about his life as a stock-broker on wall street and how he used to travel the world. i also met his wife, who had married him only 13 years ago. *insert cheesy quote about love being timeless* she had one killer wedding ring, too. the diamond was the size of my thumb nail, i kid you not. he leaned over to me and whispered that he took out a loan for it and smiled. it was precious.
i also met this woman whose name was Honey, and let me tell you, the name suited her. she was as sweet as she could be, and (in my opinion) didn't have that bad of parkinson's or dementia. i was privileged enough to hear her life's story. she met her husband in WWII while they were both in the air force. they got married and stayed in the armed forces until vietnam, when they got caught up in an attack. her husband died, and she was captured as a prisoner of war for 3 years. she showed me her left hand, which was still bent and scarred from it.
she told me about how the grace of God got her through that time in her life, and how she was sure that He had big plans for her, even to this day. she cried a little bit as she recalled memory after memory. she told me she was sometimes still afraid, but that she had faith. she had a firm grasp on the grace of God and his plan for bringing her through all of that. i agreed with her wholeheartedly, and I still pray for that darling old woman.
Honey helped me immensely. God must have known how much i needed someone to speak truth to me that day. she encouraged me to persevere in the worst of times, because God is still good and He has a bigger plan. i remember her fondly, and i hope she's still there when we go back.
Song of the Day: "Beyond the Blue" by Josh Garrels (listen ----> here!)
that's awesome tiffany!! Honey seems like an amazing person!
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