Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Priceless

                                            Photo by Kelley Bozarth - Unsplash

MasterCard’s “priceless” commercials have been tugging at our heart strings for nearly two decades now. And why not? The immeasurable worth of relationships is a timeless truth that appeals to young and old alike.  

As a caregiver I witness more than my fair share of priceless moments. Loving hand squeezes, forehead kisses, laughter and tears comingled in a desperate attempt to hang on to a life that’s slipping away… I may not be at the top of any corporate ladder or pay scale, but OH! the benefits of what I do - are PRICELESS.  

In 2013 I had the privilege of looking after a married couple in their nineties. Both widowed, they met and married while in their sixties, never imagining their second marriages would outlast their first. I always looked forward to their nightly ritual when they blew kisses to each other from across the room, and then I’d turn out the lights.  

His & Her bedside commodes and twin beds replaced their queen sized bed and stylish furniture. Not exactly the American dream for retirement, but their modest kitchen afforded them the simple pleasure of dining together while enjoying a beautiful backyard view.
I’ll never forget the day Mildred shared one of her dearest desires with me. It was something she hoped would happen sometime before she died. I’m almost afraid to write about it, for fear of corrupting its’ purity.

What she wanted, I dare say, longed for, just once…was a really good kiss from her dear husband Nelson.

Aww! I know, right? J

Her innocent confession hung in the air like the sweet scent of lilacs in May. And oh how I wish I could say I quietly soaked it all in and simply nodded in respectful admiration. I should have kept my mouth shut and smiled, but no, the doer in me wanted to set things in motion. To clear the way for her wish to come true...so I promised to get on him about brushing his teeth more often and make sure he mowed down some of those whiskers he kept missing when he shaved in the morning. Hmm, I even thought perhaps I should light some candles at dinner, you know, to help set the mood? Yep, I’m ashamed to admit it, but I wanted to be the one to make sure Mildred’s lovely wish came true.  

Fortunately for them, she set me straight and don’t think she didn’t! She thought he was just fine the way he was: whiskers, bad breath, and all. So I stayed out of the way, and watched and waited. Months passed and sure enough, one cold, dreary February morning, Nelson came clunking along behind his walker into the kitchen like he always did. But this time he stopped next to where Mildred was sitting at the table. He pressed his hand flat on top of hers and she looked up at him, the man of her dreams. He said, in his breathy hoarse voice, “May I have a kiss?”

I stepped back and held my breath, not wanting to spoil the moment. She smiled, and giggled, and said shyly, “Of course.” And right then and there folks, I witnessed her dream coming true. Better than any chick flick, or fairy tale, or romance novel; they kissed! 

He lingered for a moment and then, without a word, he clunked along with his walker until he plopped down in the chair where he always sat, right across from his beloved Mildred, every single day since they’d declared their “I dos.”

Yep. The pay I receive for being a caregiver – is PRICELESS.

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