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Joan - What a beautiful posting. It makes me somewhat ashamed of what I am not doing. I do play the piano for the retirement home (I don't live there, I just play) and have for 8 years, and when one of the people who attend the chapel is in the hospital, I visit, and when they are ill at home I try to call, but since my love moved out of state, I've not had too much incentive. But you have motivated me and I thank you. Jo Ann from Houston On Sat, 12 May 2001 21:38:28 -0500 Stanley Snyder <[log in to unmask]> writes: > There is a place deep in everyone’s heart where there abides >gentleness, goodness and light-I believe this as certainly as I >believe >that the sun will rise tomorrow. Sometimes, this place is very small >and >very well hidden or sometimes, it is covered over with the scar tissue >of failed relationships, hurt, despair and betrayal. > Last week, my darling daughter asked me to watch a movie about a >beauty queen called “Beautiful.” I must admit that this movie and its >subject matter appealed to me not at all-but to keep peace in the >family, I settled in to watch. > OK-I’m the first to admit when I’m wrong and I was really wrong >about this one!! First of all, it is directed by Sally Field and >secondly it starred Minnie Driver as the determined, win-at-any-cost, >unloved and longing to be loved beauty queen. Without giving away any >more >of the movie, let me tell you about just one scene. > The gorgeous beauty queen is determined to have her mother >accompany her to the finals of a Miss America-like contest, so that >she >will have someone, anyone there when the camera shows where her family >is supposed to be sitting. The mother refuses and in desperation, the >beauty queen cries out-“haven’t you ever heard of the Pomeranian >orphans?” > Of course, she meant the orphans of Romania, that war-torn >country >where an entire generation of children have grown up without any sort >of >nurturing or love or human touch. > Now, I must tell you about Betty. Betty is an older woman who has >PD and resides in the nursing home here in Chillicothe. I have visited >with her on a few occasions-whenever it is convenient for me to get up >there; usually when my kids are there for the monthly Mass with the >patients. Otherwise, I get reports about Betty from my Deacon on his >weekly visit. Lately, the reports have not been good. Betty hasn’t >been >out of her wheelchair for weeks, he told me. And Betty is barely able >to >communicate. She is bent over and withdrawn. > I remembered the time that my friends, Caz, Lisa & Linda went to >visit Betty with me and how much she loved having a copy of our >book-“Voices From The Parking Lot.” On both of those occasions, Betty >had been soft spoken but completely understandable-to other parkies, >of >course! > It is a real test of will for me to go to the nursing home: there >are many Alzheimer’s patients there and they evoke the still raw >memories of my daddy at the Vet’s hospital, crying when we had to >leave >him-even though I’m not sure if he knew who we were. And there are the >patients with Parkinson’s…and it is always unsettling for me to >realize >that there, but for the grace of God and the love of my family, is my >future. I know that it is hard, also, on my kids to see me there, with >my disability as apparent as those of the residents. > I had to go see Betty. > I went in and it was just as the Deacon had told me-Betty was >sitting in her chair, a once lovely woman who still took what must be >tremendous efforts to keep herself up. But, Betty was curled up in her >wheelchair and it took her several long minutes before I could rouse >her >from her thoughts-or her memories-or whatever one does when there is >nothing else to do. > I finally made contact and saw her perk up a bit. I pinned a >“Survivor’s Heart” on her shirt (a gift from my dear friend Caz)-it is >a >filigreed silver pin with a band-aid on it. I told her about my >upcoming >golf outing and promised to call her daughter to see if she would >bring >Betty up to the festivities. My sweet, compassionate daughter came up >and hugged her and I promised that with all my friends with >Parkinson’s >Disease coming to town, we’d be sure to visit her several times. We >held >hands during Mass and she wouldn’t let go. > When it came time for us to receive Communion, I stood up and >walked over to the Priest but something made me look back…and there >right behind me-making her way without a wheelchair or a walker, came >Betty!! > As I rejoiced at the sparkle in her eyes and the determined look >on >her face, it occurred to me that human touch is just as important to >our >well-being as any of our meds. For that brief and shining moment, all >was right in the world and my Communion was one of thanksgiving and >humility. It was truly a humbling experience to know that I had been >used by God-in spite of my many weaknesses and fears to deliver to >Betty >a sense of hope, a feeling of usefulness and self-worth. > I was ashamed of myself for the many excused that I had made-good >excuses, no doubt, for not visiting her for what must seem like >forever >and I vowed never to make her wait for me again. It will require a >real >commitment from me to keep this vow but I have seen first hand the >healing power of love. > Like the “Pomeranian orphans” in the movie, it is all about >redemption-our own and that of all of the people with whom we come in >contact with each day, little realizing that we may impact others >lives >so profoundly. > > >-- >Joan E. Blessington Snyder 49/11 >[log in to unmask] >http://www.geocities.com/joanbsnyder/ >"Hang tough............no way through it but to do it." > Chris-in-the-Morning (Northern Exposure) > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >mailto:[log in to unmask] >In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn