A Small Miracle
If you live long enough you end up being invited to a lot of parties. I’ve been from black tie parties, to beach parties on the sand, but I never had a more heart felt day then the party I went to, today. I saw the best side of everyone in the room and I am still high from it. The guest list included Bobs son, wife and their son, Jackson, who is a freshman at UCSB. Although, his daughter, Lauarel (who had come out a couple of weeks earlier) couldn’t make it, her son, Max did. That was no easy feat! He came from the Bay area via Orange County, where he had Thanksgiving dinner and then he rented a car and drove to meet us just in time for lunch. He arrived to resounding applause! There was my daughter, Terry and her daughter, Tessa, who had just finished some applications for med school My son Jim, wife Leslie, and twin sons Alex, a senior at Wash. U. and Gideon a senior at Cornell. And me, of course!
Now, let me give you some back story. I hired (or I thought I hired) a lovely female caregiver named Lou, that we used when Bob was still at home. I had ordered a sheet cake from Ralphs, (or I thought I ordered) just a couple of blocks from where I live. I ordered sandwiches from Bristol Farms across the street from where Bob lives. I had a birthday tablecloth and napkins and paper plates and the present at the front door, ready to take down. All I had to do was remember all that. I had notes all over the apartment, reminding me. At Ralphs, they had no order on record. Panic! I looked down and there was a white cake. I asked “Can you put writing on this”? “Yes “, was her answer and with a smile she wrote “Happy birthday Papa” in 2 seconds. Whew! I called to check on the sandwiches, they said they might be late. I said I ordered them with Pierre, last night. They replied they had no Pierre. Oh no! Lou went over there and somehow straightened it all out and she got the sandwiches there in time. Another whew! Michael brought cold drinks and lots of potato chips. It was my husbands’ 89th birthday party at MPTF. (The Motion Picture Home). We had the activity room to ourselves. As much as it doesn’t sound like a fun party. It was! Everyone there was there for a very unselfish reason. No one was counting the minutes. No one was looking at their phone! When I looked around the room, everyone was laughing. We all told funny stories about Papa Bob. He totally got them and laughed with us. One of the grandchildren would be talking to Bob or reading him his birthday cards or just holding his hand. Somehow the grandchildren, didn’t seem to mind taking a couple of hours off of their fourday holiday to drive to Calabasas and sit in the Activity Room at MPTF on a Saturday afternoon. Every person t made an effort to be there. I saw the best side of all of them and I’ll treasure that insight forever. I’ve been to many activities in that room but all of a sudden, today, it looked charming! BTW, Bob was totally present and recognized everyone, that, in itself was a small miracle!
When I say I thought I hired Lou to help me, I was mistaken, she wouldn’t take a. penny. She said she just wanted to come and see Bob. She was there as a friend. After the sandwiches, birthday cake, and present opening, we walked Bob back to his beautiful new private room, where the nurses put him into bed. He fell instantly asleep. It was a very big, joyful day for him, but exhausting.
I felt a little like Jimmy Stewart at the end of” It’s a Wonderful Life” There is good in everyone, if we give them a chance to show it. I’m so grateful for my family! I’m grateful for this day. I’m grateful for Bob and his family, and the two families being all together to still share with him. But, I’m mistaken once again. There weren’t two families there today, there was only one family in the room, Our family!!
Happy Holidays’ Everyone.
We wish you all health and love in the New Year!!!