Meeting The Old Woman
Hanfordrose
Posts: 688 Member
I posted this as a blog today; but the more I thought about it...This should be here on a Christain board.
*****
With my hubbie out of town, my pastor offered me a lift to church this morning. As I was sitting in my walker and waiting by the curb for my ride, an older lady came up to me...or should I says her friendly, little dog came up to me to say 'Hello', as puppies do.
The woman and I got to talking, and I discovered that her name is also Sue. This other Sue seemed like a nice person; but she as looked very weary, almost feeble...tired in her body and spirit. Her face was drawn and well wrinkled with hanging jowls. I was trying to gauge her age and had estimated that she was probably in her late 80's...maybe even into her 90's. Almost as though she was reading my thoughts, the woman mentioned that she has a birthday coming up. She told me that she will be 68 years old!!!
What a shock! She was younger than me. Her face and her body both displayed a lifetime of wear and tear. Over the course of our conversation, I realized that this was a very lonely woman who has nothing but her dog to keep her company. She has no family and few friends. She typically walks her dog at 6AM but was running a bit late today. She explained that after that morning walk with her dog, she spends the rest of her day at home...reading or watching TV. She said that she does go to the local market "a couple of times each month"...but that is all.
For me, that seemed like the right time to mention church. Yes, she is a Christian...a Catholic. (Please don't tell me that Christian and Catholic are not the same thing. I believe that we are all followers of Christ. I don't pick sides. I don't think God does either.) I asked, "Do you go to a local church?" That's when she said, "No. I thought about it. There is one nearby"; and she pointed in the direction of the dried up Mojave River bed toward Victorville city limits. I encouraged her to start going back to church...check out the Catholic church across the river bed.
Just about then, I saw the pastor's car come through the gate. The lady and I said our goodbyes, and I asked her to drop by sometime..."After 10AM please." I explained that I am not an early riser. Then, she walked away with Packo (her dog) leading her down the path.
Sometimes, I forget that the world is a very hard and lonely place, when you live by yourself...or only have the companionship of a pet. Animals are wonderful and loving creatures; but without the fellowship of other humans, life can be cruel and quite empty. That lady is aging in her loneliness. She even said that she doesn't "do much anymore, except walk Packo".
Here is a case of 'a life with no goals...no possibilities...nothing to hope for' (something mentioned by a friend in another post); and that life is aging/killing this sweet lady's body and spirit. She has grown 'old before her time'.
It is moments like that which make me realize how blessed I am to have a loving husband, family, friends, a wonderful church and a life still worth living.
I know that I don't look like 68 years old. Lots of folks tell me that; but how would I look, if I gave up on life and chose to just sit home and wait for death to come? Maybe I would look 20 years older.
- An after thought to this blog -
I know that many of you look for and expect blogs and posts from me each day that will uplift you, inspire you and maybe even make you laugh or smile. This blog may be a disappointment, if you are looking for humor or some inspired wisdom. However, this is what God gave me to share with you today.
Sometimes, the messages that we are given and meant to share are simply reminders of just how lucky we really are.
I really did have a lovely day in church, and I even went to lunch at Red Lobster with Pastor Bob and his beautiful wife Lola. The morning service and music were great; and I enjoyed that whole time with my church family. I even got an 'I love you and miss you so much' phone call from my hubbie; but what has stuck with me today was my morning encounter with 'the other Sue' as she walked her little Packo.
God is not letting me off the hook with this one. I may just have to get up early one morning (ouch...6AM) and revisit that conversation with my lonely, new friend. I have a feeling that the other Sue and I are meant to meet again.
Just a passing thought...I wonder, if that other Sue would like Bingo. Every Thursday evening, there is Bingo at the senior clubhouse; and it only costs a couple of dollars to play. It is more like a social gathering than serious gambling. A big jackpot would be about $4...certainly nothing to worry the IRS. That kind of activity might be the perfect way to get that lonely lady out of her house and back into the world of 'the living'.
Yep. I'm not off the hook yet...am I, God?
*****
With my hubbie out of town, my pastor offered me a lift to church this morning. As I was sitting in my walker and waiting by the curb for my ride, an older lady came up to me...or should I says her friendly, little dog came up to me to say 'Hello', as puppies do.
The woman and I got to talking, and I discovered that her name is also Sue. This other Sue seemed like a nice person; but she as looked very weary, almost feeble...tired in her body and spirit. Her face was drawn and well wrinkled with hanging jowls. I was trying to gauge her age and had estimated that she was probably in her late 80's...maybe even into her 90's. Almost as though she was reading my thoughts, the woman mentioned that she has a birthday coming up. She told me that she will be 68 years old!!!
What a shock! She was younger than me. Her face and her body both displayed a lifetime of wear and tear. Over the course of our conversation, I realized that this was a very lonely woman who has nothing but her dog to keep her company. She has no family and few friends. She typically walks her dog at 6AM but was running a bit late today. She explained that after that morning walk with her dog, she spends the rest of her day at home...reading or watching TV. She said that she does go to the local market "a couple of times each month"...but that is all.
For me, that seemed like the right time to mention church. Yes, she is a Christian...a Catholic. (Please don't tell me that Christian and Catholic are not the same thing. I believe that we are all followers of Christ. I don't pick sides. I don't think God does either.) I asked, "Do you go to a local church?" That's when she said, "No. I thought about it. There is one nearby"; and she pointed in the direction of the dried up Mojave River bed toward Victorville city limits. I encouraged her to start going back to church...check out the Catholic church across the river bed.
Just about then, I saw the pastor's car come through the gate. The lady and I said our goodbyes, and I asked her to drop by sometime..."After 10AM please." I explained that I am not an early riser. Then, she walked away with Packo (her dog) leading her down the path.
Sometimes, I forget that the world is a very hard and lonely place, when you live by yourself...or only have the companionship of a pet. Animals are wonderful and loving creatures; but without the fellowship of other humans, life can be cruel and quite empty. That lady is aging in her loneliness. She even said that she doesn't "do much anymore, except walk Packo".
Here is a case of 'a life with no goals...no possibilities...nothing to hope for' (something mentioned by a friend in another post); and that life is aging/killing this sweet lady's body and spirit. She has grown 'old before her time'.
It is moments like that which make me realize how blessed I am to have a loving husband, family, friends, a wonderful church and a life still worth living.
I know that I don't look like 68 years old. Lots of folks tell me that; but how would I look, if I gave up on life and chose to just sit home and wait for death to come? Maybe I would look 20 years older.
- An after thought to this blog -
I know that many of you look for and expect blogs and posts from me each day that will uplift you, inspire you and maybe even make you laugh or smile. This blog may be a disappointment, if you are looking for humor or some inspired wisdom. However, this is what God gave me to share with you today.
Sometimes, the messages that we are given and meant to share are simply reminders of just how lucky we really are.
I really did have a lovely day in church, and I even went to lunch at Red Lobster with Pastor Bob and his beautiful wife Lola. The morning service and music were great; and I enjoyed that whole time with my church family. I even got an 'I love you and miss you so much' phone call from my hubbie; but what has stuck with me today was my morning encounter with 'the other Sue' as she walked her little Packo.
God is not letting me off the hook with this one. I may just have to get up early one morning (ouch...6AM) and revisit that conversation with my lonely, new friend. I have a feeling that the other Sue and I are meant to meet again.
Just a passing thought...I wonder, if that other Sue would like Bingo. Every Thursday evening, there is Bingo at the senior clubhouse; and it only costs a couple of dollars to play. It is more like a social gathering than serious gambling. A big jackpot would be about $4...certainly nothing to worry the IRS. That kind of activity might be the perfect way to get that lonely lady out of her house and back into the world of 'the living'.
Yep. I'm not off the hook yet...am I, God?
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Replies
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Reel her in Sue. You're right, no hope and loneliness ages a person as the soul sickens. Glad God could use you as a sunbeam in her life.0
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