What other papers are saying
By Staff
Remember nursing home residents
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
The downhill slide toward Christmas turned into a bounding bowling ball about to strike the pin-set. Saturday was the big day when the jolly fat guy – Santa, not me – slid down our chimneys to deposit a bounty of wonderful gifts. Families joined together to feast on a holiday meal, watch sporting events or old movies and catch up on life since the last time they shared fellowship together.
Our homes were places of glorious sights and sounds, aromas and warmth. But there was a place in our community that didn't have quite the same feeling, even though the people there want and need those things as much as we do.
The nursing home in most communities is filled with residents whom seldom receive visits, cards or gifts for that matter. Over the weekend, I was fortunate to be able to take a group of teenagers to a nursing home to share a little Christmas cheer. The group dropped off fruit baskets and cards for each of the local facility's patients.
Then, the group more or less roamed from room to room, singing Christmas carols and simply telling these sweet people how much it loved them.
One instance, in particular, will remain a special memory for me. As we filed into the room of one elderly lady, she looked surprised, then overjoyed.
We asked her if she had a favorite Christmas song and she said she liked them all. As we sang Away In a Manger, the lady began to cry as did many of our group. She said she is alone and no one ever comes to see here.
She added that it means more than she could say to have someone come by to visit and just tell her they love her. Her message struck home.
It took hearing her say that for me to realize what the best gift our group had given Saturday.
It wasn't the colorful cards with a group photo on them. It wasn't the fruit baskets with large apples, oranges and bananas.
It was time – simple time and a willingness to share it with someone whom we didn't know and doing so because we wanted to, not be cause we had to. So many of us zip past the nursing home each day on our ways to somewhere else. We seldom think of stopping.
This holiday season, maybe just drop in and visit with some of the folks there. Also, in the coming year, make it a point to spend some time each month visiting with the residents of your local nursing home.
It will make all the difference in the world – for you and them. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all.
By Jason Green, circulation manager for the Clanton (Ala.) Advertiser. Note: Editorials from other newspapers printed in the FCT also represent the opinion of our editorial board.
