Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Health & Youth

Health and youth are relative things. I'm 48 years old. That's older than I've ever been (really!?) and I older than I ever thought about when I was younger. I see 48 in a different light now than I did 20 years ago. The age thing hit me this afternoon. I was walking out the door of Mom's doctor's office to go get the truck and bring it up close to get her. As I was about to step off the curb toward the parking lot, I noticed 2 older ladies, probably in their 70's, trying to get another lady of about the same age out of a van and into a wheel chair. Having done just the same thing myself a few hours earlier and planning to do just the reverse in a minute or two, I slowed down. These ladies looked unsure of how to go about the process. I asked if they needed a hand, and one replied, "I don't know." I took that as a "Please." I put my stuff down and held my hand out. This is the part that I found very interesting: of the three hands offering assistance to this lady, the one she grabbed was mine a stranger's hand. I have to believe that though she was grateful to her friends for their help, she thought the younger, stronger hand might be of more assistance. It certainly wasn't that my towering strength was so obvious. At 5 feet even, I don't tower over much of the population older than 7. The only thing in my favor here was youth.

Once she was in the wheelchair, all the ladies thanked me and went inside to consult their doctor. I picked up my stuff and started walking across the parking lot. Suddenly, my heart broke and I was in tears. I realized how effortless walking is to me. I don't think about it. I jump in and climb out of cars and trucks and vans without a moment's thought. I do it without the aid of a cane, walker or wheelchair. I don't think I've ever considered what a blessing that is... what a gift good health is... even relative good health.

My mom has had lupus for a long time, but until a few months ago, she was relatively healthy. She could eat what she wanted, when she wanted it. She could get up from a chair or the bed without assistance. Today, everything seems to make her sick and I have to help her up from her chair and her bed. She uses a walker to move around her house and it's wider than her bathroom door, so that presents a problem.

There are so many things that we take for granted every day. I'm thankful that I took time today to look at those things and understand Who gave them to me This Day and Every Day that I have them.

5 comments:

  1. Sometimes it is so easy to forget that EVERY perfect gift comes from above! I know God smiles when you remember like you did today. That is pure gratefulness.

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  2. You will never know how much your help meant to those ladies today! I know because when someone stops & takes time from their busy day to help with me with Webb, it means the world to me. He is our guard against taking every day things for granted. Not that I am not still guilty of it from time to time, but he & the Lord do not let me get far! Praying for you & your mom today.

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  3. Wonderful reading. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Hmmm, you may have to get her a couple of those lightweight aluminum canes that have four prongs at the bottom for stability. You could put them right outside the bathroom so she could shift from her walker to the cane or canes as required.

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  5. Once she's at my house it shouldn't be a problem. If Mr. H's wheel chair fit last year, a walker should with room to spare. We still haven't decided if I'm going home this weekend or next. I can probably get M or L or both to stay with me up here and that way they can help. I think it'll depend on the physical therapy guy.

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