I’ve had my own cleaning business for years. One of my clients is an 85-year-old man who leads a relatively lonely life. He’s lost two wives, and is in touch only with one daughter. He knows there are resources available to him, but he prefers to stay home alone.
When his daughter is there, I not only clean but visit with them. He is very interesting to talk to and has hundreds of stories to tell. He’s told me he’s a pretty private person, but he has no problem telling and retelling me about his long life.
Recently, we had a long, honest talk I told him I’d gotten out of life what I’ve wanted mostly because I’ve made that happen. He said he wished he was happy, but when I asked if it made him happy when I visited, his face lit up and a big smile came over his face.
I decided I would start offering him a hug, which I don’t think he receives very often. When I did, he said “Love ya, kid” and hugged me very tightly. And I replied, “I love you, too.”
The day I started doing that, I beamed with happiness all the way home. I was delighted that the main joy of my day was giving him a great big hug, and having it reciprocated.
Edie
A Little Compassion Goes a Long Way