We say this every Sunday to our school aged children at church, "I need to make the wise choice." They don't know it yet, but we adults benefit by saying it too! I need to make the wise choice at a fast food resturant. I need to make the wise choice as I drive my SUV. We don't always know which choices are life changing and which are just everyday choices. Here's an example.
Two years ago this week I had to decide how to spend my Saturday. You know the drill; there are always multiple things to eat up a Saturday!!! My mom had been in and out of the hospital since June and was still receiving care in a medical unit attached to the Retirement Community where her apartment was. She asked me to come EVERY SATURDAY, but we were going on four months now and I had to decide whether or not to drive the 2 1/2 hours to visit her for 2 or 3 hours and then drive back home; it would take my whole day.
I made the trip alone and it was a BEAUTIFUL day! She was excited to see me and shared a special request--for a hamburger from Wendy's. Now my mom loves Wendy's (and if you saw her food tray in the medical unit you would know why it would be such a treat!) So we giggled and hatched a plan for her to leave the facility and ride to Wendy's drive through with me. One kind nurse said she would look the other way when we left on our "picnic" and I promised mom would NOT get out of the car.
Such a simple thing. We ate our burgers near the courthouse with the windows of the car rolled down to enjoy the day. She thanked me numerous times. We got back and I pushed her around in the wheelchair to visit the apartment and take care of mail, etc. It was a typical visit in so many ways. We didn't know it was our last visit together on this earth. I said goodbye like I always did and drove home.
Early Monday morning my mom had a massive stroke and never spoke again. I sat by her bed Monday and Tuesday my brother flew in from Kentucky. We were on either side of her on Friday afternoon when she left her earthly body and stepped into eternity. She was not afraid to die and ready to meet Jesus. I still struggled to let her go that day.
For the rest of my life I will be glad that I chose to give her my Saturday. That day, I made the wise choice.
6 comments:
i have been missing grandmother alot lately. i wish i had a story for the last time i saw her alive and well. because i dont remember. i wish we all lived closer, or that i had been able to see her more. grandmother and i used to write letters to each other, like real snail mail letters, cards back and forth. i dont know if you knew that or not. but when we were cleaning out her apartment i got all the letters i had written to her back. i keep them and sometimes i read over them, but i always end up in tears. i miss her so much. every time i play skipbo, which is alot, i think about her. every time i realize my elbows are on the table. which is also alot, i think of how she would correct me at once. i miss her getting angry with me when i would come into the house still wet from the lake, i miss the way she looked when she would stand in the kitchen cutting cantalope, i miss trying on all her beautiful gold jewelry, i miss watching her paint her nails with refrigerated nail polish every single night, i miss her hugs, and the way she said my name in that special tone. but most of all i miss getting her letters. i havent gotten any real mail since i have been in college. and every time i see our empty mailbox i think-there could have been a letter from grandmother in here. she was too young. why did she have to go? i still need her. the thought of her not being at my wedding, if or when i ever choose to get married, breaks my heart. she would have loved to see nathan and hannahs wedding. your grandmother is supposed to be at your wedding. and every time people talk about their grandmothers i just end up in tears because i dont have one anymore. i just......i just hope i am turning out to be someone she would approve of.
i love you aunt gaylin.
sarah
What an awesome post.
I know that it took a lot for you to write it.
It is awful to have to grasp how short time really is.
We all could make wiser choices, we just sometimes don't realize what is at stake.
Thanks for be REAL!
Love-Mandy
Thank you so much for sharing this sweet moment with us!
i am so glad i got to meet her even if it was for just a moment. i wish i could have really gotten to know her. in a way i do, from the things nate has told me. i feel very privileged to be a part of the family and to have a mother-in-law (love) like you!
I'm glad you spent that Saturday with your mom. I'm also glad Polly's fingernails were polished. She looked like the Polly we knew.
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