New Realities

Because we lived so far apart, Mom and I only saw each other every few months. She had moved into a nursing home since my last visit. I never imagined my first visit there would be so difficult for me. When I found Mom having lunch in the cafeteria with a few other residents, I gave her a quick hug. Then, suddenly, I was fighting back tears that caught me completely off guard. I knew her health had declined, but it broke my heart to see her needing this level of care. “I’ll let you finish your lunch now,” I said to her, squeezing back the tears. “I’ll meet you in your room after.” I made a dash for the door before she could see me crying.

The Lord knows we will face tough times like this and worse in our caregiving journey. In life. That’s why he reminds us so many times in Scripture that he will never leave us. I dried my tears, then looked around Mom’s room. Photos and crosses from her home decorated the pale yellow walls. Her favorite clothes hung neatly in a closet. She had a TV and a refrigerator filled with her favorite drinks and snacks.

Mom soon joined me in her room. “Come with me and meet my new friend. She lives in the next wing over.” I smiled and followed her. If she could adjust to this new reality, so could I.