It’s difficult not to think about the nursing home residents— not only my father but all the others as well. It must feel like jail to them at times. I often wonder– do the aides ever wheel them to their doors and then have some kind of parade as entertainment? Or are they just trying to get through the day? How do they address their emotional needs?
Cedar Springs, a city north of Grand Rapids, announced that thirty- six residents now have COVID- 19, https://www.fox17online.com/news/coronavirus/nursing-home-in-cedar-springs-reports-36-cases-of-coronavirus. Surprisingly, I don’t feel worried about this. I think that the separation from others is going to hurt the residents more than the virus.
In the midst of it, Chloe is making letter writing to my father as part of her daily routine. I find it in my inbox every day– letter for Opa– and then forward it to Kellie, the director. It’s a reminder to reach out to those who are by themselves. I hope that the virus will remind us to be more intentional and reach out to those most vulnerable. Here is one part of her letter.
In the book I mentioned in an earlier post, One Thousand Tracings, pictures of people reading letters and addressed envelopes can be found throughout the book. At the beginning of the book, it starts with the phrase, “But just before Christmas, a letter arrived that changed everything.” References to letter writing continue on just about every page. The reminder is real. Letter writing is important. I hope we can continue to utilize the postal system as this journey continues.
A Journey Worth Remembering 