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WRITE 2 THE HEART
Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart"
March 25, 2004
Cheryl Speir, Editor, moderator@write2theheart.com.
Welcome to your latest issue of "Write 2 the Heart." You
are receiving this newsletter because you requested a
subscription or a friend generously forwarded their copy to
you. All new subscribers will receive a free downloadable
copy of the e-cookbook, "Write 2 the Heart of the Chocolate
Lover." To join, send an e-mail with subscribe written in the
subject line to: subscribe@write2theheart.com.
Do you have a heart-touching or inspiring story to share?
Send it in the body of a plain email, no graphic or colorful
backgrounds please. Write 'submission' in the subject line.
Don't forget to write a brief bio to introduce yourself to our
readers. You may include your family friendly websites,
information on your books, newsletters, and upcoming
projects. Email to: moderator@write2theheart.com. We
always love to hear stories from new, first time writers. From
now until the end of June, I will send a bookmark and pin as
a writer appreciation gift to each author who has a story
published in Write 2 the Heart. There is a limit of three per
person.
I admire people who give so much of themselves in the
caring of others. Jo Ann is one of these. She shares not only a
story that will touch your heart, she shares advise for
caregivers and the people that know them.
She’s In My Heart Forever
By Jo Ann Smotrys
As a Hospice Volunteer, I'm told my Nursing Home patient
is not responsive to stimulation. She doesn't respond to anyone.
She doesn't speak. She doesn't show emotion. When I visited,
even though it was July, I 'played' a tape of Christmas Carols...
something we all can relate to...something we're all familiar
with. She has dementia. She has forgotten so much. She has
forgotten how to live. I hold her hands. I look into her eyes. I
talk to her as the music plays. I watch as I see a smile upon her
face. I listen as she tries to speak. I hug her. I remind her she is
a 'child of God'. I remind her of the gift He is to each of us. As
we listen to songs that speak of His birth, I remind her that He
died for us. He hung upon the Cross at Calvary for our sins.
I glance around to see her friend has tears streaming down
his face. Why? "She hasn't smiled or spoken for so long...I
can't remember,” he says. He's been there every day for 8 years
to watch over her. He has been there but everyone has told him
she doesn't respond. So he just sits with her. He does what he
can, but frankly, he doesn't know what to do. He too is lost. He
has watched her plight as she diminished in health over the
years, but he never let her down in his faithfulness to her. He
was always a loving presence for her. Now, once again, he has
just seen 'a spark' in his sweet lady. He too smiles.
Most every time I visited after that, I'd find him there in her
room, talking to her, as he held her hand and he never left
without telling her "I love you" and hugging her. There wasn't
much response, but there was 'that little bit' and he reached out
for it on every visit. One day, as he was about to leave he
reached behind her to hug me. He then said, "I love you" to
her, as he has so many times before. She doesn't respond. He
walks past her to leave, his back to her, and says "She knows I
love her, don't you gal?" There! A sudden, loud 'Yes' is in the
air. She spoke. He moved on. He couldn't stop. He couldn't
compose himself. She'd confirmed what we all knew by then.
She heard. She loved. She was trying so hard to express
herself.
Did I make a difference? Yes...But only because I was
trained to believe that hearing is the last sense to leave us. I
leaned heavily on that belief and her friend learned from me.
No one had ever told him what to do, how he could
communicate with her, that she might hear him though she
didn't respond, so he had given up. But he never gave up on
loving her. He never gave up on coming to check on her.
Now she responds. It's a smile...a word here and there...a
little move of her fingers against his as he hold her hands. But
it's all communication. She had it all along. Is it because no one
was listening to her? Because no one was talking to her? I
suppose. But that's all changed.
One night I sit in a chair beside her bed and told her how
fortunate she was to have someone to come visit her each day,
reminding her of how much he loved her! How much I loved
her! How very much God loved her! I knew in my heart she
understood me. I cried as I talked. I let my emotions go. She
squeezed my hand, as I saw tears roll from her eyes. She did
hear. She remembered love and compassion, though she may
have forgotten all else over the years.
The circumstances are different...but that's the way God is
toward us. We forget Him. We put Him aside for worldly
things. And though we think He isn't hearing us, when we call
out to Him, He is there. He is our Guide and our Protector. He
constantly shows us Love and Compassion, but we have to
open our hearts to hear Him and feel His warmth. Only then
can we truly share Him with others... like this woman who may
have needed to be reminded that God was still with her.
I stayed with her the night she died. Her face glowed with
"the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” as she
took her last breath. Philippians 4 describes it best.
Copyright © 2003
Jo Ann Smotrys
wsmotrees@aol.com
You are encouraged to write to the authors to let them know
what you think of their story. Have a comment on today's story?
Send it to: moderator@write2theheart.com.
I am a Virginia girl who stumbled upon Hospice by helping a
church family in need. God had a faithful follower who
challenged me to be confident as I trained to be Hospice
Volunteer 3 1/2 years ago. For those who caregive, either from
home or in facilities, please continue communication until
death, as hearing is the last sense to leave us. In Nursing
Homes, some residents never having a single visitor, except a
volunteer. Many 'at home' caregiver's need a helping hand,
someone to stay with their 'loved one' while they run errands,
giving them a needed break (respite). A volunteer might bring
in a meal, perhaps just listen, as patient or caregiver talk.
"Visitation" and a "Listening Ear" are the main objectives of a
Hospice Volunteer, for the patient and caregivers, as they
suffer through a 'terminal condition'. Thanks for sharing in
one of the many gifts God has returned to me.
Letters From Our Readers
I had a friend who stopped using one of her outer doors
because the same thing happened: birds built a nest right near
the door and opening it disturbed them. It was so nice of the
family to inconvenience themselves until the baby birds
hatched and flew away.
Nancee
Cheryl,
I've noticed that birds tend to build their nests in some of the
darnest places. I enjoyed this story "Underneath the Angel's
Skirt”and could visualize those wrens flying out from their
nest every time the door opened. It must have seemed like a
startling event to them.
Barbara Bullock
I enjoyed the bird story. It was such a feel good spring story.
Jan T
Military Prayer Reminder
As you read over this list of names, please take a moment
to pray for these young people and their families:
Chris Speir
Tim Speir
Alan
Thaddeaus
Howard
Todd Holland
Graham
William
Julie Sagel
Jessie
Marshal Thompson
Jason
Eric Hernandez
Kristin Danielson
Ken Prieur
Ryan
Jonathan P. Wells
Larry Miele
Daniel
Amy
John
Joanne
Gary Boardwine
Please continue to pray for our country, our leaders, and
our troops at this time. If you have loved ones in the military,
or who are being called to go overseas, send their names (first
and last or first only) to be included in our prayer reminder.
Cheryl’s Corner
Chris, my oldest son, called this morning. He told me I
always make him feel better when the horrible things in life
attack him and he need me to do that now. His wife’s car was
stolen and may have been used in several convenience store
robberies in the area. She had accidentally locked her keys in
the car and someone came and busted out the window and took
off in the car.
I told him he needed to start thanking and praising God that
Nicole was not trying to unlock her car when this person came
by feeling they needed to steal a car. She could have been
terribly injured or … I shudder to think what could have
happened to her. Now that she is a part of our family, I
wouldn’t want to lose her.
In Thanksgiving
Cheryl
Copyright © 2004, Write 2 the Heart
Nothing may be reproduced or published without
the written permission of the individual author or
copyright owner. All rights belong to the authors.
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