Today I went to see a friend, Donaire, who is in a skilled nursing facility. That just means she is unable to take care of herself and is receiving some physical therapy to strengthen her ability to walk better or to recover from a stroke back in December of last year, 2010. She is eighty-six years young, very alert and mentally quick.
My days in the week will consist of going to see her at least three times a week. It depends on my schedule and what I need to do otherwise. It gives me a time to be still and visit with her as if I was visiting my own mother. I cherish this dear lady and the opportunity to get to know her all the more. We have been friends since, 1996, so that is about fifteen years now. She is also a widow.
It is like going visiting teaching and taking the time to sit with her during her meal, or go to sacrament meeting with her, which I did once, unaware that she would be attending the services there at the center. I have also trimmed her hair for her, which reminds me I need to do that again soon.
Another time, I was there when the Relief Society President came to her room to invite her to their meeting. It happened that Donaire started to tell her "no", since I was there. I insisted that we could go together and I would stay to visit with her afterward. It meant a lot to my dear friend.
She is Jewish and this week's lesson was on the Atonement and given from the Ensign, an article by Elder Bruce McConkie in the April Ensign. I really liked the lesson and just listened without getting any feedback from Donaire, and it was timely since this month is Easter. The closing song was, "I Stand All Amazed." It is one of my favorites and the words are very uplifting to me.
I think back about how things played out for the visit to see Donaire. It gives her support and helps her think about something else besides the pain she is in most of the time. It was good to visit with her, and I am the one blessed for her company
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