Wait a Minute Mr. Postman...

11:32 AMHeather

I remember how badly it smelled at the nursing home where I visited my great grandmother. Unfortunately, by the time I came along, she was bedridden with dementia issues. These are my only memories of any great-grandparent, forever documented in the picture of my sister and I in matching polyester short sets with our pixie (and I do mean SHORT) haircuts. Lovely.

You always want better for your children, and thank the Lord, my kids are blessed to have three great-grandmothers. One still hikes, quilts, volunteers and exhausts me with her social calendar. On our last visit with her, we played around on some cow statues--and she herself climbed on one just to prove she could. I don't remember her exact age (mid80's), but she calls herself "sorta antique-y."

Another is 93, and many of you have heard of the world famous Mamaw. She is spunky and independent, and a real go-getter as well, despite some recent issues with memory. The third great-grandmother is actually someone they've never met in person, but who is faithful to send birthday cards (YES! WITH cash!), as well as cards for all types of occasions in between.

I always INTEND to do better about staying in touch with these amazing ladies, but snail mail is not something I do well. I know all three sweet women struggle with loneliness after the many losses they've endured. Despite my best of intentions, I always get side tracked with other tasks. If I'm going to be INTENTIONAL, I need to invest more in the lives of these women who've given us such a great legacy.

INTENTIONAL challenge: Time to do something about this. It's too important to ignore any longer. So, yesterday, I printed up address labels for envelopes to each of the great-grandmothers, and slapped on our return address labels. I put a few envelopes for each lady on a huge binder clip, and you know me-had to add a little crafty touch. Then, I put the clip on a hook at the bottom of our prayer board in the kitchen. Now, when I sort through the children's endless papers and art work, I can grab an envelope, throw in some art work, and jot a quick note. Voila! I hope to send a note weekly, rotating great grandmothers so they each receive a little something once every three weeks. Since I've done a tiny bit of prep, I can surely manage the 10 minutes it would take to let the great-grandmothers hear from us more regularly. I also hope this will also help my children to cherish their elders and feel more connected to them. SO, what little step will you take to ensure you are staying in touch with someone who needs to hear from you and feel your love and concern?

You Might Also Like

0 comments

Popular Posts

Contact Form