Questioning......

I am not usually one to comment or post thoughts on anything political because it is just a recipe for disaster...especially since I am not a very good monitor of anything I say or think....

BUT

really congress???

We are now on day one of a shutdown where the effects go way beyond what most of us can possibly comprehend.  Case in point....Meals on Wheels.  I picked up my food today, and the talk on the parking lot was like it must have been in a lot of other places.  "Just how much longer can this subsidized program last with no government support?"

 Truthfully, I was not sure what to expect when I began meal delivery with this group.  Would I become jaded because there were recipients that were not really needy?  Answer to that...NO!!!

When you knock on the door you know how much this program is needed.  I am very certain that for most of these people it is the only interaction they have with the outside world each day.  I noticed on my delivery list today that the Mr. 8B was celebrating a birthday next week.  When I mentioned it his eyes lit up.  "How did you know?"  We talked for a minute about his age and the cancer he was fighting and then I was off to stop at the next food drop.  When I think of how lonely he seemed I can only hope that whomever has his delivery on his birthday will notice too.  How sad to be so alone.

How sad to lose the meal he counts on each day and the friendly face that delivers it because we cannot seem to find a compromise in congress.

 It has been my week to be up front and personal with those that are growing old and seem so forgotten.  Our church decorated cookies with the elderly at a neighborhood assisted living center this past weekend.  It is anything but comforting when you see what actually exists inside the walls of these buildings.  I have not had any exposure to life in a nursing home, as thankfully my parents were so totally self sufficient until they died.  

 These women were precious and you might have thought they were out for a day on the town as they discussed "lady things" like getting dressed for the event.  But, sadly the word that was uttered the most often was LONELY.  Where are their families?  Do you get old and do your kids just dump you somewhere and hope that the not so patient staff will get your medications to you on time and roll you down for dinner?  I was so distressed at the care givers at one point I had to count to about 50 to keep from embarrassing everyone I was with.  So what if you are eating the sugar free icing out of the canister....quite possibly you might be having fun for a change!!!

 I am sure that there are better...and worse scenarios than what I witnessed this weekend.  I guess my frustration mostly lies in those that are completely written off and forgotten.  These people at one time led productive lives and should be able to live out their days with some sort of dignity.

Maybe I understand now why my dad found so much satisfaction in the "bread run".  I never much got why picking up day old bread and taking it to centers that needed it mattered.  I knew my kids loved going along , but to me it was just nice to have a few child free minutes to focus on doing laundry.  I do get it now.  It was stewardship....and taking care of people that others have forgotten.  My dad was a great example of how that works.