Lonely? Not!

Ihad a grandmother when

I was little, who spent six months every year in the summertime. We took her everywhere we went so she wouldn’t be lonely. She never went to a rest home, and never was left by herself. She was a godly woman who loved her family, and gentle and full of wisdom for her two daughters and grandchildren.

As I grew up and got married and had a son, we visited home quite often. Grandmother was still spending six months with my mother.

My five year old son at that time woke up early the morning after we arrived late the night before. He asked me who was that little old woman in the house. I told him that was little grandmother. He happily ran in to the kitchen and joyously said to my mother, who was quite large at the time, “Big grandmother, what’s for breakfast!” (Even my mother laughed with him.)

Now I have the memories of family making sure their elders are not lonely. We live in a time of isolation for a lot of elderly. So how do we make them feel accepted?

Phone calls are a blessing. Face time, and even letters and post cards, and special day celebrations are many ways we can help them.

One family I know has one in the rest home. They go to their bedroom window and talk face to face. Gifts and flowers can be sent to their room via the front desks attendants. Make someone’s day.

Giving them a task to complete, treating them with respect; praying for them in person or over the phone, will help in this day and time. Remembering they helped you make it through childhood into adulthood, will help you respect and care for them more.

God Himself said He would be the Father to the fatherless, and husband to the widows. He blesses us with a special blessing when we hear the call to provide for our elderly.

There may even be a special reward in Heaven to those who will help in this time of need.