By Kay Heitsch
My husband, Bill's Grandma, Z., was in a nursing home when we moved back to Michigan. Grandma had been unable to walk for quite some time; now, her eyesight was almost gone.
Over the years, Grandma Z. and I exchanged many cards and letters. I knew how she enjoyed staying in touch with people.
Grandma would have me write letters in the cards she would send. She would dictate; then, I would do my best to write down what she said. Grandma would always have me read what I had written back to her. Grandma had no problem hearing them because she always told me, "That is not exactly how I said that!" I would then rewrite whatever I wrote in her exact words.
Since I had some extra time before Christmas, I asked Grandma if she would like to send Christmas cards. Grandma readily agreed. I rounded up several different kinds of cards. I knew she had friends and family who all had other interests. I would take each card and describe the front of the card in detail, and then I would read the verse inside. After thinking it over, Grandma would tell me who she thought would like each card.
After a while, I looked up, and I noticed that we had several nursing home residents standing in the doorway. As I read each card, I started to see the look on their faces and Grandma Z's face, too. Each one had a faint smile and a faraway look as they saw the scenes in their mind's eyes.
When I went over to do the Christmas cards, I thought I would be doing Grandma Z. a favor, but it turned out that she did me a big favor. I'll always cherish this precious memory of bringing Christmas joy and pleasant memories to Grandma and her fellow residents.
Thanks to Grandma Z., I made a "good memory" to pass on to you.
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