Silent Witness
Stories
Luke watched Marion as she spoke her nonsense syllables and wondered what he was doing here. He knew why he had come when she could talk to him, when she looked forward to his visits, and when he could make a difference in her day. In those days, her face would light up then when he arrived. She would hang on every word as he brought her news from the world or something about the kids. Then they would talk for hours.
Now though she didn’t recognize him, didn’t remember that he had been in, and in the last few months couldn’t really interact. He didn’t even bother to say much these days. He would say who he was and sit next to her as she rambled on about nothing. Marion just lay in the bed speaking words that only made sense to her. She never looked at him or even stopped talking if he spoke to her. The nurses who checked in when he was there said that was pretty much all she did nowadays.
As he looked at her, he really couldn’t see the dear friend he had grown up with. The child who he had played pick up baseball with who had a mean curve ball, the teenager who had remained close to him even when their interests diverged. They had even kept in touch when they were at university. Marion had stood with him as a witness when he got married and he had stood with her as a witness. They had lived just down the road from each other, and their kids basically grew up together. That was ages ago and their spouses were both gone, and their kids grown and scattered across the country.
Luke remembered how scared Marion had been when the dementia started to affect her. She had tried everything to stay at home. She had seen specialists, undergone tests, and gone through countless medications. Yet despite all their efforts, she forgot more and more and the day she had called him from her house upset that she was lost he knew it was time for her to live somewhere that could provide round the clock care. She didn’t like the nursing home but agreed it was the best for her.
The last year had been difficult as she lost track of where she was and then who she was. The person he knew and loved wasn’t there any more there was just a shell. Luke noticed the room was quiet. He spoke just because he hated sitting in the silence with her.
“Marion, I don’t really have any news for you this day. I just wanted to come into say hello.”
Marion resumed talking without any acknowledgement of him. At first, when the dementia has progressed her rambling had made some sense but now, they were just words or syllables all mashed together. She wasn’t even focussed on him, and the truth was he couldn’t even remember the last time that she had looked in his direction when he came into the room.
He wondered again why he bothered and what difference his visits were making. He did know that every time he came in it hurt to see her, and that pain wasn’t getting any easier over time. He noticed that it was getting close to supper time. He might as well go since this was now a waste of his time. He took a deep breath and stood up.
Marion’s hand went up. She shook her head and tried to focus on him. He could see her struggling to form the words.
“Thank you,” she finally said and in that moment, she was looking straight at him and he would have sworn that she knew him and knew that he was visiting her each day.
He smiled and took her hand. “You are always welcome, dear friend.”
She squeezed his hand briefly and then her eyes unfocussed and she began to string off a list of nonsense syllables again. Luke sat with her for a few moments letting the tears flow down his face. He looked at the clock again.
“I do have to go but I’ll come and visit again.” He said before he left.
Luke smiled at her and wiped at his face. He would be back even if she didn’t know who he was or recognized him. He would be back because he could and because he needed to be there for her as long as he could.
As Luke headed out past the security doors just past the nursing station, he offered a prayer of thanks to God for the blessing he had just received and was thankful in his heart that what he was doing was making a difference for his lifelong friend.
*****************************************
StoryShare, March 2, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Now though she didn’t recognize him, didn’t remember that he had been in, and in the last few months couldn’t really interact. He didn’t even bother to say much these days. He would say who he was and sit next to her as she rambled on about nothing. Marion just lay in the bed speaking words that only made sense to her. She never looked at him or even stopped talking if he spoke to her. The nurses who checked in when he was there said that was pretty much all she did nowadays.
As he looked at her, he really couldn’t see the dear friend he had grown up with. The child who he had played pick up baseball with who had a mean curve ball, the teenager who had remained close to him even when their interests diverged. They had even kept in touch when they were at university. Marion had stood with him as a witness when he got married and he had stood with her as a witness. They had lived just down the road from each other, and their kids basically grew up together. That was ages ago and their spouses were both gone, and their kids grown and scattered across the country.
Luke remembered how scared Marion had been when the dementia started to affect her. She had tried everything to stay at home. She had seen specialists, undergone tests, and gone through countless medications. Yet despite all their efforts, she forgot more and more and the day she had called him from her house upset that she was lost he knew it was time for her to live somewhere that could provide round the clock care. She didn’t like the nursing home but agreed it was the best for her.
The last year had been difficult as she lost track of where she was and then who she was. The person he knew and loved wasn’t there any more there was just a shell. Luke noticed the room was quiet. He spoke just because he hated sitting in the silence with her.
“Marion, I don’t really have any news for you this day. I just wanted to come into say hello.”
Marion resumed talking without any acknowledgement of him. At first, when the dementia has progressed her rambling had made some sense but now, they were just words or syllables all mashed together. She wasn’t even focussed on him, and the truth was he couldn’t even remember the last time that she had looked in his direction when he came into the room.
He wondered again why he bothered and what difference his visits were making. He did know that every time he came in it hurt to see her, and that pain wasn’t getting any easier over time. He noticed that it was getting close to supper time. He might as well go since this was now a waste of his time. He took a deep breath and stood up.
Marion’s hand went up. She shook her head and tried to focus on him. He could see her struggling to form the words.
“Thank you,” she finally said and in that moment, she was looking straight at him and he would have sworn that she knew him and knew that he was visiting her each day.
He smiled and took her hand. “You are always welcome, dear friend.”
She squeezed his hand briefly and then her eyes unfocussed and she began to string off a list of nonsense syllables again. Luke sat with her for a few moments letting the tears flow down his face. He looked at the clock again.
“I do have to go but I’ll come and visit again.” He said before he left.
Luke smiled at her and wiped at his face. He would be back even if she didn’t know who he was or recognized him. He would be back because he could and because he needed to be there for her as long as he could.
As Luke headed out past the security doors just past the nursing station, he offered a prayer of thanks to God for the blessing he had just received and was thankful in his heart that what he was doing was making a difference for his lifelong friend.
*****************************************
StoryShare, March 2, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
