I’ve mentioned a few times before about my neighbor, Kathe. She’s an aging widow who is feeling the effects of time. She’s essentially losing the ability to speak. She can’t remember words, she can’t remember how to read or spell. The inability to communicate has caused her severe distress over the past several months. Finally about six weeks ago Kathe approached us and told us she was going to move to Arizona to live near her daughter. We’ve been helping her get ready.
I’ll admit, there are times when her inability to speak frustrates me. It’s when there’s one baby crying and another running away to who knows where. There are times when I brace myself for her company, knowing that the time with her will be slow and arduous. But then I think to myself: who will take care of my Olivia when I am gone and can’t take care of her. . . when she is old, and lonely, and can’t remember things as she should. That thought breaks my heart, and I go over to see Kathe to see how I can help her. I do so selfishly. I negotiate with God (if He negotiates, this is how it goes in my prayers) that if I do so, Olivia will have someone to take care of her too.