Dear Reader,
Each day at the book club I share a story from my life, but today, inspired by this past Monday's column, readers tell stories of their own...
"Suzanne, about a half a century ago, I was a student nurse working the ER rotation at a nursing diploma school. I was on the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, when an ambulance brought in a man who'd been found unconscious on the sidewalk. From the look and smell of him, we were pretty sure he was homeless. After he was checked for injuries and found not to have any recent trauma, we prepared to admit him since he remained non-responsive. One of the nurses asked me to help her bathe him. We removed his filthy clothes and started the gargantuan task.
As we each began with a basin of water, to clean one of the man's extremities, the nurse I was assisting quietly hummed. Soon the two of us dumped dirty water from our basins and the nurse began to hum again as we started on the other extremities. Again we dumped the dirty water and started washing his chest and pelvis. Once again we dumped dirty water and then rolled the man onto his side and began cleaning his back. After we finished his bed bath and changed the damp sheets out from under him for clean ones, he looked so much better--and smelled so much better, too. As the nurse began to remove the packed-in dirt and grime from under his fingernails, the man stirred. Then he opened his bleary eyes. He took a few minutes to focus and then said, 'I was dreaming I was in heaven and angels were singing to me.' The man sounded so disappointed to find himself alive and where he was--and I've always remembered that evening." -- Barb R.
"Hi Ms. Suzanne, I always enjoy your column each and every day, but [Monday's column] ran 5 stop signs to my heart and soul, and brought me to tears when I read the words the older woman, you were helping, said "...and I didn't realize until you hugged me just now, how much I miss the simple touch of another person."
This season of virus mandated changes and the pending 'new normal' they speak of, just break my heart, and the older woman's comments sum up exactly why. I understand the necessity of the changes, but that doesn't make them easier to bear. When a local newscaster cited an 'expert' who said this whole virus thing could mean the end of the handshake, and then he took to social media asking followers what they thought, thus began a bevy of responses proclaiming it was a happy day for them, we should evolve past it and instead look each other in the eye, or bow.... I cried, because not one of those people even thought that such a change wouldn't even be possible, for those of us who are blind or visually impaired. And when I chimed in [on social media] just long enough to point out my feelings, only one single solitary soul replied back to me. He said when this was all over, he'd be proud to both shake my hand and give me a hug, and just like when I read your column, I cried and I wasn't ashamed. Frankly I don't want to remain in a world where (giving someone a hug) can't be a part of my experience. Whether people realize it or not it's important for animals, babies, children, and seniors--for all of us.
So thank you for giving the older woman such a glorious and priceless gift. I envy her. My parents are gone now and due to our current reality and the isolation that comes with physical distancing (I hate calling it social distancing as it's so much more than that), I haven't hugged a living, breathing human being related to me or otherwise since February 19th, when I did hug a cousin of mine. The tears flowed unashamedly, because I was grateful for the gift she'd given me that night when she came to call with needed supplies, and the gift of her very presence and touch.
So thank you again Suzanne for meeting us all where we live and demonstrating empathy and compassion; and were we ever to meet it'd be my joy to shake your hand and give you the biggest hug ever. I appreciate you more than you could know. And thanks for teaching me the joy of saying, 'Take good, good care.'" -- Robin
Thank you for sharing your stories--and thank you for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Take good care,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
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