Old Friends Meet Again

Easter Sunday entailed a beautiful church service, and hours drive, visits to two sides of my family and then the drive home. Busy day, as holidays often tend to be. My mom's side of the family is my Grandma M, who had heart surgery last summer and has a chaotic household right now. We had dinner there, and tried to visit as long as we could. Then we went to the nursing home to visit Grandma K, my father's mom. She has been in the nursing home since falling and having a heart attack in December. She lived alone in a cottage on a lake for the last 17 years. She has recovered nicely and realized that she was becoming too isolated, so she is selling the cottage and on a few waiting lists for assisted care facilities. We are all thankful for that.

Our visit with her was special. She lead us to the community room which was empty. Good thing, it was mom, dad, myself, DH and our two children. We chit-chatted until a slight, grey-haired woman came in pushing a wheel chair carrying an even older woman.
The younger of the two smiled and bent down close to my grandmother and smiled, "Barney," (my grandmother's middle name is Bernice and for some reason every one's always called her Barney), "Do you remember me?"

My grandmother was unsure, "no, I'm sorry."
"I'm Kathy!"
"Oh, yes!!" Grandma was faking recognition, but I didn't realize it at this point. She did the polite thing and introduced Kathy to everyone in the room. When she got to my dad, Kathy said, "You must remember my brothers."
My dad replied, "Please tell me your last name again."
When she said her last name, I could see recognition in both my dad and my grandmother. Grandma grabbed this ladies hand and said "Yes, yes! From up the road!"

They were neighbors forty-five years ago, and this lady, and her brothers, were school mates of my father.

My grandmother turned to lady in the wheelchair. This woman was aged, and didn't even seem to realize anyone else was in the room. She was staring intently at an Easter card she held in her hand. "Who do you have here?", Grandma asked Kathy.

Kathy smiled tenderly and said, " This is my mother. She may not know you today. She is studying the card she just received from the church service." Kathy spoke up louder, "Mama. Mama?"
"Yes." the woman replied in an almost angry sounding voice.
"Mama, we are in the nursing home and this is Barney __________. Your neighbor from ________ Road."
I do not exaggerate when I say this woman's continence changed from night to day. She smiled and said hello and even named people and places from years ago. And Grandma was just tickled pink.
I sat there trying not to start a blubberfest! It was just too beautiful! I'm still not used to this "circle of life stuff", watching my family age. I must remember to find the beauty in it.

~Blessings