Touchy Feely Crap

Sauerkraut Here!

A couple moved into the assisted living community where I work, that night they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. The next day the woman fell and broke her hip. She had surgery, went to a rehabilitation center and was planning to return to the community next day. She died that night. The last time they saw each other was the night of their anniversary. Moving on…

The daughter of a former resident came to visit her father everyday. One evening, about an hour after she left, he had a stoke and died shortly after.

This Halloween I watched the daughter of a former resident push her mother down the hallway in her wheelchair. Our resident rounded to corner cheerful, with a bucket of candy on her lap and a large chunk of her family in tow. That night, about six hours later, she died.

Why am I telling you this? Because. If you’re anything like me you have a terrible time expressing any emotion other than anger. However, working with the elderly has reminded me and continues to remind me that death is on its own clock and you truly never know when someone’s time up. My point is this, put your vulnerability aside and tell the ones you love how you truly feel about them.

It’s easy to tell someone you “love” him or her, but in my opinion the phrase “I love you” is empty, but I still catch myself saying it. What does “I love you” mean? I believe it’s different for everyone. For example I love my nephew for different reason than I do my mother. It’s important to tell the ones you love the reasons that you love them.

Recently my grandfather celebrated his birthday. This year, instead of telling him I “loved him” in his birthday card I told him what a great man I think he is. It wasn’t easy and after I dropped the envelope in the mailbox I cringed and quickly developed a plan to retrieve the card from the mailbox before my grandfather received it and I embarrassed myself, but I didn’t. My grandpa never commented on the birthday card, but I know he got it, I know he read it and I have peace of mind knowing that he has some inkling of my true feelings toward him.

So my dear friends, as I step down from my soapbox I ask you all to make an attempt to tell the ones you love your true feelings before it’s too late.

That is all.

Sauerkraut

P.S.  I got a belated birthday card from my grandma today, part of it read, "I am so proud that you are my grandchild.  I could hug you until your ribs cracked, or squeek.  Wish you were closer so I could see you everyday."  I miss my grandma...  So, so much.