Every week my magical friend Sarah and I play at nursing homes and retirement facilities. Every place is different – some have severe alzheimer’s and other mental health issues, some have broken bones and can’t breathe well, others are simply living a quiet and healthy life. I have gleaned many many funny and heartbreaking stories from these places and really need to write a lot of them down. the Lord teaches me about His unwavering grace and passionate love in these places, with these sweet old ones. It’s often where I find His presence the thickest these days.
Today we went to a hospice. Sarah and I sang “Tiptoe to the Tulips”, an old favorite. At a particular point where there’s a musical pause at the end, one woman shouts out “LIBERACE!” with bright joy on her face. Now, old ones tend to shout and say random things all the time, it’s nothing new, but what’s so mystifying to me about this is she did the exact same thing about a month ago, with the same song, on the same chord pause. She’s never said a word any other time with any other song and we go there a lot. It’s something in the music that pushes a button, and she comes alive. What is that?
I am thinking of putting together a wee group of folks to help this area of elderly care. I want to take them to the severe mental health cases and do music therapy with them – in turn singing melodies to bring out that light in their eyes that says “I’m still here” – to touch their arms and hold their hands to say “we love you” – a touch and a smile means everything to these dear ones.
I thank God for the aged, for their enduring hearts and sweet and sometimes fiery spirits, for the love they soak up and give back.
I thank Him too for my dear friend Sarah, who, when I was down last week, took me by the hands and spun me round singing Shantytown on the porch. When I say she’s magical, I mean it- old Disney fairytale magical.
