A woman with dignity

 When you come home from a visit with a friend you have not seen since Covid and you have a conversation that is real, and honest, and hard,  you don't want to forget about it

So,  I write...

We met about 8 years ago, at a volunteer position in the library.   As we worked together, we had plenty of time to get acquainted, and we did.   While we chatted and laughed, I learned some of the hard part of her life.   Many years ago, she had married and had one daughter, and then...maybe 12, 13 years later, her husband decided he would rather live with another man.   So she and her daughter moved across the country and started a new life.  Soon she fell in love with another man and after several years of marriage and care, he died of cancer.  In the meantime, her daughter had married, had one son and now that marriage has ended.

Today, we are catching up.  She remembered that I had a red car and that I had prayed that my son would find a wife.  And he has. That wedding should be coming soon, but that is another story for later.

 Her daughter has found the love of her life and  has wedding plans for this spring. Also, her tall dark and handsome grandson is now in college and still loves his Grammy.   They have a home where all three generations can live happily ever after.

There is a hard part to her life now.  A while ago her daughter told her that her memory was not good and she did not seem herself. So she checked with her doctor and found out that she does have a form of dementia.  There is a diagnosis that is different than Alzheimer's. Part of the symptoms are hallucinations,   memory loss, tiredness and more.   That means she cannot drive or live alone.   

And my friend is cheerful and content.  She is not shy about speaking up about the truth, admitting the situation.  

She also told me about her growing up in North Carolina in a church where they loved the Lord and later she worked in the office.  So good and comforting to know that she knows, that Jesus knows, all about her,  and cares.  

We prayed at breakfast and I continue to pray for her.

She is an example to follow.  We are all growing older.  And changing, and admitting our changes (  memory loss, lower energy, weight change, etc. ) is healthy and feels comfortable/comforting. It is not easy, but we  must  still try to do our best and what is right.  

Never too old to learn

I live an exciting life

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