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We first met Annie (not her real name) when we saw her at church. She was older and in a wheelchair. Our family got to know her, as did others at church. She was always cheerful and friendly. Different people volunteered to bring her to church. After a while, the list of volunteers dried up, and Marcia and I decided to take over. Often, I would drive to pick her up at the long-term care unit at the hospital and then pick up Marcia and Christina at home, and then go to church. Then, after church, we would all drop her off back at the hospital.
I learned a lot from picking up Annie. Her positive attitude was contagious. There were times when I was bothered by issues, and she, the lady confined to a wheelchair for the last 50 years, was the one who cheered me up. When I asked one day what gave her this joy, she gave thanks to God. After some time and some prodding, she also told me about how her new husband, when they were still relatively newlyweds, tried to kill her. The consequences of his actions necessitated her to start needing a wheelchair. Despite this attempt on her life, she rejoiced in the Lord always, as per Paul's admonition in Philippians.
Sometimes it rained when I picked her up. I could hold the umbrella over her while I pushed her to or from the car, but as I helped transition her into or out of the car, I had to abandon the umbrella since I needed both arms to help her. Different times I apologized for not keeping her dry, but she simply answered “I am not a witch who melts from a little rain.”
After picking up Annie more regularly, Marcia and I started also visiting her sometimes during the week at the long-term care unit. This was more of Marcia's idea than mine, but I joined in. When she wanted to visit more often, I encouraged her to do so, and I joined her about once every month or so. I then learned that she started also visiting with Annie's neighbors and others that she learned from church were in residence there. When I joined Marcia visiting Annie, we also sometimes visited with some of her other acquaintances. I noticed that sometimes it took a while for a few of the ones she visited to know who Marcia was, but this did not deter her enthusiasm. She would ask them about their week and their relatives, and they soon just opened up to her. I admired Marcia for her willingness to visit so many who were in their last days. But I was busy and didn't have the time (actually, now I see, didn't take) to join her. I applaud her willingness to reach out to these bound on a long-term basis to this care unit, and I am sure that they appreciated it too.
Published 2021-03-09. Revised 2025-07-02.
If you find any error(s) in the text, please let me know. Thanks. Contact me with errors or comments using hibbardac@gmail. [Back to the top] [About the author, Al]
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