“Mom!... Mom!... Mom!” she exclaimed as she burst into the room. The rough, worn door—weathered by age—stuck for just a moment as she turned the knob and simultaneously shoved it with her shoulder. With a single, unrestrained motion, she was through. The glass pane rattled, and the faux wood blinds swayed back and forth as she caught the edge of the door with a left-handed backswing, sending it whistling shut behind her.
Past the old wood stove and into the kitchen, she kept calling, “Mom!... Mom!”
While I’m not her mom, but her dad, I finally responded,
“What is it, hon? What’s the matter?”
She turned toward me, breathing heavily, and said with excitement,
“It was so cool! We sang Over the Rainbow and Puff the Magic Dragon with them!”
Still catching her breath, her words came in short, rapid bursts.
“We even painted their nails! It was so fun… but so sad. They were so happy to see us. One lady even played the ukulele—she was so talented!”
Then my daughter Emma, all of 13 years old, thoughtfully added in a somber voice,
“It’s hard for me to think that we all end up like that… forgetting stuff, lying in bed, just watching TV all day.”
This was the second time Emma had gone to the local nursing home with her friend from across the street. They went as part of their church youth group to sing and spend time with the senior residents.
As her father, it’s been fascinating to watch her demonstrate such sincere compassion and empathy for those who have contributed so much in their earlier years. I can’t help but find it ironic that our most “connected” generation is often so conveniently “disconnected” from its heritage.
It did my heart good to see my daughter and her friend selflessly attending to the subtle needs of an older generation. To her, it was just a fun evening singing songs and painting nails with “old people.” She probably doesn’t realize it yet, but I can see her growing into a caring, compassionate young woman—one who recognizes that there’s more to life than the latest fashion trends and technology.
Here are a couple of other posts about Emma; one about the time she decided to sneak out of the house, and another about her interactions with a homeless man in San Diego, California.
Check them out:
The Pizza Caper...A Nine Year Old's Sneaky Adventure!
"Sugar and Spice" - A Child's Kindness
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