Thank you. Thank you. Thanks a million!
Delivered the 32 greeting cards and 55 bouquets of flowers! What a glorious day.
A week or so ago, I posted a request to send cards and little things of encouragement to me – that I could take to my Auntie Anne who lives (unhappily) in a nursing home. Today, I had the most wonderful time sharing 32 greeting cards with her. The beautiful greeting cards and pretty envelopes came from Florida, Minnesota, PA , NJ and other places in between.
I was struck by the extreme kindness of my FB friends who shared the request with others……and to all of the people whom I do not even know…..who took the time to buy a card and write a very personal message to my elderly aunt. Your random act of kindness means so much.
There were enclosures of holy cards of the Good Shepherd and a classic Guardian Angel picture that she said she has loved since she was a little girl. There were some home-made cards, gorgeous store-bought cards, a little booklet with a decorative ribbon that told her she was remarkable, butterfly pictures, a baby on a beautiful card, and typed letters – one even signed “With admiration” from a person who cited some of the things that I shared about Aunt Anne in my original request.
Cheryl sent a book for mothers to fill out their memories and inspirational cards that told her she was special – I taped them to her closet. I hung some of the cards around her room and did the same for her room-mate Margaret. A postcard came from Florida that talked about the summer heat and the pretty flowers that are there year round.
The Brownies from Levittown sent a bunch of cards with a picture of the little girls in the troop and a photo of a pet gerbil. The Scout leader wrote a separate message. Someone else sent a card with an adorable baby photo on the front that she loved. And someone sent six cards so she could open one each morning for the next six days. Just about everyone signed their names with the word Love.
I wish that I could thank you all in person or with a personal note but I can see that I will not be able to acknowledge everyone. Please know I appreciate everything so very much and your compassion and love for a lady in a nursing home means so much.
One sent a photo of her husband and two sons. On the back of the photo, each family member had written a note. Another sent a picture of her garden and fountain. Each card was absolutely lovely, personal, touching and so appreciated by Aunt Anne and by me. The social worker came in and smiled as we showed her the bounty of greeting cards. A few people promised to stay in touch.
Some of the card senders wrote about their own parents, how they admired the wisdom of seniors, how they hoped she was having a good day. Others recognized her for all of the good she has done for others in her life. And talked about the wisdom of someone who has lived 88 years.
I am just amazed at the goodness of strangers. Honestly, you brought so much sunshine to a lonely lady.
I wanted to bring the cards home with me so that I could type snippets of the thoughts and wonderful things that people did…….but I could not take them away from her! She asked me to put them on her nightstand so she could look at them later. So some are on the table and some are taped to the outside door of the closets………you have all done a random act of kindness that made an afternoon much brighter for Aunt Anne.
Good news: She may be getting her replacement hearing aids on Monday. The nursing home lost them five months ago…….and with the bureaucracy…….well, they were not replaced. She has been a “prisoner” with no way to communicate.