July 24, 2023
Don’t cast me off in old age. Don’t abandon me when my strength is used up! ~ Psalm 71:9 CEB
Rod and I had quite the adventure last week, covering over 3,600 miles to move Rod’s parents from their home in Florida to an assisted living apartment near one of Rod’s sisters in Mississippi. It was a necessary, but difficult decision for his parents to make. They left the community they lived in for17 years, and a house they absolutely loved for 6 years. They are 91 and 92 respectively, and the last year has brought some health crises that prompted the decision the first week of June.
It took all six of Rod’s siblings, along with Rod, to make the arrangements and facilitate portions of the transition. Rod and I volunteered to travel to Florida to pack personal items – clothing, toiletries, medications, etc., accompany them on a flight to Mississippi, and get them to their new apartment.
Rod’s sisters had moved their favorite lift-chairs along with some of their favorite photos, books, knickknacks, comforters, and pillows, and decorated their new space so that it was ready when they arrived. When they walked into the room, and Rod’s dad sat in his chair, he said, “This is lovely.”
New Digs
They had been resistant to moving, not entirely aware of their own frailty, the danger they were in, and the difficult challenge of the nearest family member living eight hours away. They feared ending up in a nursing home. Instead, for the first time in 40 years, they have family within 30 minutes of them. So many things could have gone wrong. They needed to pass physicals to be admitted. An apartment needed to be available. Various sons and daughters needed to rearrange their schedules to help with various tasks. And in our 3,600-mile journey, not a single flight was delayed, we managed wheelchairs and walkers lots of luggage, didn’t get lost and didn’t lose either of them. No one had an emotional melt-down, or heat exhaustion. Given all that could have gone wrong, grace abounded. They have not been cast off in their old age or abandoned in their weakness.
With gratitude. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 