Much To Be Thankful For
One of the things that I am most thankful for are the people that have come into my mom's life over the past few years. They have the power to change someone's life and to make it better and they have. My mom grew up in Detroit and moved out to Glen Ellyn about 8 years ago or so. She came out here to be closer to me and my kids, as well as my sister who lives in the city. She came out here not knowing anyone and ended up making several new friends. It is some of these friends who have come to see her every single week for the past three years or more. Nobody asked them to make it part of their routine yet they did. She knows they are coming and each of them brings something special to her day.
One of them comes every Monday or Tuesday afternoon and watches Jeopardy with her and fills her in on which sporting events are going on that week and which channel they will be on. Another comes on Wednesdays and waters her flowers and brings her chocolate toffee. Two women she met a long time ago at temple come to see her together. They fill her in on other friends and their lives. Lastly, is her friend MK who comes on Thursdays and brings her magazines and sits with her for a while and just talks about life.
These people have given my mom something to look forward to each day and have given her joy. Most importantly they have helped her to not feel alone in her struggles. They rarely miss a week unless of course they are away and even then they usually come a different day if they can. It is these people that I am thankful for among many other things.
What they have taught me is how much friendship and just physically being there for someone can mean to a person and especially older people. We all get so busy and often mean to do things and then life gets in the way. More than anything people in senior living facilities need to see people and be engaged. For some of the people including my mom getting out is difficult. I am going to try and do this for others going forward as I now see how important it is just to be there physically for someone. Thankful for these beautiful souls.
