Dear Reader Column 03-25-08

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Dear Reader,

There was a notice in the church bulletin: "Take communion to shut-ins. Classes starting soon."

In the beginning my only mission was to take communion to Amy every Tuesday and I'd bring along a copy of the Sunday church bulletin. Amy had been a member of the church for years so she liked listening to me read the bulletin, because she'd recognize a lot of peoples' names mentioned.

Amy and I made quite a pair--both of us were creative souls, whose body parts weren't cooperating with them at any given moment. Amy had terrible eyesight because of her age, she was 96, and I'd recently been diagnosed with an eye disorder that left me walking with a red and white cane. It was a weird eye disorder, ironically one that usually only affects people Amy's age. But I was only 27 and wasn't able to keep my eyelids open, which might not sound like a big deal, but when your eyelids won't stay open, you bump into walls and walk off of porches.

There was a religious script to follow for communion; same order and words every time, but it wasn't too many Tuesdays before Amy and I were ad-libbing a bit and I don't think the "Big Guy" minded at all. After we finished the communion prayer making sure the "Be Thous" were in their proper places, Amy and I would add our own personal requests: Amy had a doctor's appointment Friday and was worried about getting down the long flight of steps in the back of her apartment. I was a frustrated because I couldn't make a decent pie crust. I realized there were a lot more serious things to be worried about, but baking seemed to be good therapy for me while I was waiting to find out if my red and white cane was going to be a permanent way of life.

"You want to learn how to roll a pie crust?" Amy asked after the "Amen."

So the following Tuesday Amy taught me how to roll a pie crust. It was simple following her step-by-step instructions, or maybe it was because the dough knew better than to argue with a 96-year-old pie crust veteran. After sampling the pies we decided we liked the eating part of our get-togethers, so every Tuesday after communion we started having lunch together. And after I discovered that Amy used to play piano in a swing band, we started making music--she played piano and I sang along. Amy's eyesight was so bad she could barely see the piano keys, but it didn't matter because she'd always played by ear anyway.

A relationship is give-and-take, if it's a good one. Looking in from the outside someone might have thought my relationship with Amy was one-sided, taking communion to a shut-in. It was not. I met a woman who'd led a life that I could only hope for and she was coming down the homestretch with finesse and grace. I'd been visiting Amy for over a year and I could tell that it was getting harder for her to do things. So it wasn't a complete surprise when I got a call from her son, "You should come for your last visit with my mother."

I don't know what other people were thinking as they were sitting in the pew at Amy's funeral, but I could see her playing the piano in the swing band, baking and serving meals to be remembered by her family and I could see Amy down on her knees in the pew, hands folded, thanking the Lord for one heck of a special life. And I was fortunate to be part of it.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warm regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

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Comments

[Pat]

Suzanne, this was the most poignant and beautiful "Dear Reader" column that you've ever written. Thank you for sharing Amy's story and your experiences with her, and reminding us that everyone has something to offer no matter how old or how infirm they are.
Thanks!
Pat

[Mary Ellen]

That is the whole story of life. The real one. How people touch our lives, and-if we are smart-how we can touch back.

There is more to communion than bread and grape juice. It's about doing it remembrance of Jesus. He was the original footwasher, and servant. The King in the pauper's robe. He taught the truth in action.

He would indeed be very happy with you and Amy, Suzanne. He's probably singing with her now. They're waiting for us to go join in one day.:)