Christmas 2010 is over, but there are memories of sights and sounds of the holiday, mostly sights still freshly recalled. And there was one sight that was most memorable although it was a somewhat private sight, a most unlikely one to remember except to a few including me.
In my visits I see scores of people every day, those who are either patients at the hospital but mostly those who are confined to a nursing home. Over a period of time, they become friends, a reward in itself. Since most of those visited are confined to a bed, you might think that life has lost most of its meaning, but your assumption would be wrong for many.
I visit a resident who has multiple health problems and is now unable to care for herself thereby living at another address today where dedicated caregivers are ready and able to provide for her needs.
Initially I did not know it, but over the years I have unknowingly driven by her home in my community thousands of times; we know some of the same people, I know something about her employment history and a little about her family. Now, every time I pass by, I think of her.
Since the physical boundaries of her day are confined to a single institutional room, a casual observer might wrongly conclude that life has lost any appreciable meaning. For some, prison comes to mind. I visit with this lady daily and have yet to see that she lacks interest in life. She seems to occupy her time reading, with puzzles, watching television, reading her Bible and being visited regularly by friends and members of her extended family.
Her living quarters lack the typical institutional flavor. During the holiday season, there was a small traditional decorated Christmas tree, an abundance of cards, some family photographs and almost always a bouquet of fresh flowers beside her bed. Comparable scenes could be seen in many other rooms, but there was one special sight that I will remember unique to just my friend’s room.
The window view from her room is the facility’s outside court and bordering her window are several large bushes that reach just above the lower part of her room’s window and this is where this memorable “single sight” occurred.
Recall that the day following Christmas this year, the big snowfall arrived and generously covered everything outside including the bushes adjacent to my friend’s window. That in itself world have been a welcomed view but something special was added to make her view unique even amusing.
Family members who visited her following the descended coat of white decided that with all the snow available it would be a shame not to make a snow couple but making the pair for my friend to see would have ordinarily required much snow and unusual effort until one came up with a bright idea. He made a small snow couple, a few inches tall and placed his creations on top of the snow bank that covered the outside shrubbery. This allowed for the perfect snow scene including a snow show right outside the window.
Never underestimate those with creative minds.
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Bill Lee
PO Box 128
Hamer, SC 29547