You've Gotta Have Hope

Hope is what keeps us going.  When things seem they're roughest, we need to have hope!  Some days we wonder if we can make it another day, but we do.  It's all about hope.

The reason I decided to write the blog about hope is because I visited my 92 yr old neighbor Rea in the rehab center (no, not like the one Lindsey Lohan likes to go to).  If you've read my blogs, I've written a few about her.  She's a tough but sweet woman, and she has a fantastic sense of humor.  This lady worked until the age of 74 for the post office, delivering mail! 

I've known Rea for quite awhile now. It started when I saw her using her walker to get her mail and drop off her garbage at the end of the driveway.  I volunteered my son to do that every week.  He's 18 now, so I'm guessing he started doing that when he was about 15.  I think it's good to get your teenager's involved with helping someone other than themselves.  It will give them a bit of compassion for others; plus, it builds character (one of my Dad's fav sayings "suffering builds character)!

I would bring Rea meals and chat with her quite often.  I would take her to her doctor appointments and even took her to get her haircut once (I just love that even at 92 she cares about her hair!).

Awhile back Rea had a bad fall, I'm the one that thought something might be wrong, and I called the police station.  Since then she's been at a rehab center trying to get strong enough to return to her home.

The trouble is, I spoke with her son over the phone (I've never met him and he lives in the same city), and he told me not to tell Rea, but she won't be returning home. 

Anyways, I should get to the point of this so as not to loose your interest, but I thought you should know a bit about Rea.

I've been visiting her at the rehab center, but not as often as I would like to.  She called me and was very upset so I was up there the next day to talk to her.  All I have to say is, if you have a 92 year old mother, I don't care what she's done, you do not call her the B-word.  This isn't the 1st time she's been treated this way and it breaks my heart, and more than that, it breaks Rea's heart. 

My last visit with her I saw all the hope completely drained from her and she talked about her death.  My heart is now broken, because Rea has lost all hope, and that is so sad.  She calls that place a prison, and I can completely empathize with that.  Could you imagine going from your home to a place where your hooked up so just about every move you make sets off an alarm!?

If you know someone that is alone, make friends with them.  If you don't know someone, find someone.  They're out there.  Visit a nursing home.  I know that when people have just one friend to talk to, it helps.
Heck, it doesn't even have to be an old person, just help one person!

Have hope--it's what keeps us going.

Jen