Betsy and I went to Hendersonville on Tuesday to be with my parents. The weather was foggy and rainy most of the day which added to our travel time both ways, but we were glad to be able to make the trip.
Mom and Dad, Spring, 2001.
As I mentioned before, Dad is 96 and Mom is 88. Both are now legally blind, but they both want to stay in their home. Betsy and I try to help them as much as we can, although part of that help has to be long distance help.
When I was growing up I thought my Dad could do just about anything. So there is a certain amount of sadness when I need to help him write checks, activate his credit card, or find things in a store.
But there is also joy associated in being with Mom and Dad. They are both in good spirits and remain active in their church. And we can see the basic goodness of many people when we are with Mom and Dad. We take them out to lunch and take them shopping when we go over. Tuesday we took them to one of their favorite restaurants and a waitress saw us approaching the front door. She came out and held the door for Mom and Dad and greeted them warmly. Our friend Judy tells us that the staff at another restaurant treat Mom and Dad like royalty when they eat there.
Mom and Dad have shopped at the same grocery store for over 40 years. When they get to the checkout there is one clerk who comes around to empty there basket for them. As she does this she says what each item is and asks if they want that item. She then helps Dad sign his check (the cash register makes out the check) and sends them off with a good word.
I wish I could thank all of these kind people personally. But I am glad that I can at least acknowledge their kindnesses, especially at this time of the year.
Senior Moments 
December 18, 2008 at 6:20 am |
That is such a neat story.
BTW, I have tagged you to do the 6 random things meme, see my blog for details.
December 18, 2008 at 10:21 am |
This also proves that angels are among us. The angels are first your parents and then the peoplel who so lovingly help them.
Blessings,Ruth
December 18, 2008 at 11:17 am |
Hi George, I finally found your blog. Not that you were hiding it, I am just really dense sometimes. 😉
This post brought tears to my eyes….I wish all older folk were able to live that long and have those around them treat them with kindness and dignity. You are so blessed. I lost my Dad when I was 25….miss him all the time.
My Grandma is 95, nearing 96. She is still in fairly good health and lives w/ my Uncle. She just started using a wheelchair around the house this year.
She was robbed when she was 90 yrs old. She let some people in the house thinking she was being neighborly…..so sad. But she lives in Miami…it would be different I think if she lived in some small quaint town.
December 18, 2008 at 11:28 am |
Thanks for sharing a story of kindness.
December 18, 2008 at 8:22 pm |
George: What a neat story and I’m so glad they have people to help them.
December 18, 2008 at 8:42 pm |
Ruth, I should have used your phrase ‘angels among us’ as a title for this post. It exactly fits so many of the people around Mom and Dad.
Suzanne, Hendersonville only had a few hundred people when Mom and Dad moved there in 1963. The population is now over 42,000 but Mom and Dad have worshiped in the same church and shopped in the same store all those years.
December 19, 2008 at 11:37 am |
Beautiful tribute to your parents, sometimes we forget to do this while they are still with us.
December 19, 2008 at 12:36 pm |
Hi George!! What a beautiful story! It’s wonderful to hear of such kindness.
Your parents sound like they’re very vibrant. Thanks for sharing a little about them. 🙂 I really love the photo you posted. I often wish I had more photos of my mom.
December 19, 2008 at 5:17 pm |
I understand your feelings about the bittersweetness of having to help your dad…glad to be able to do it but hate it for him that you have to. I bet you could write a book about your parents.
All I can say is ask questions, if you haven’t already. There is so much stuff Neal and I wish we had asked our mom and dad….they just did not talk much about their childhood, or things that happened to them when they were young.
December 19, 2008 at 10:21 pm |
Do you have snow in your blog or is it my eyes?
December 20, 2008 at 8:03 pm |
That is a very nice story. Thank you for sharing it. Your parents must be special people to have everyone think so much of them.
An idea just hit me….I know some nice people like that too. It would be fun if someone would have an online game where we could submit a person’s name and story as to why we think they should be chosen the kindest person. We could vote to choose the winner. Then each of us would send the winning person a nice card or a little something to say that we think they are a special kind person of the year.
Seems to me that there are MANY kind people in the world who are not noticed. We almost always, hear only about things bad people have done.