Day 35 -- Delivering Meals on Wheels

"A person is not old until regrets take the place of dreams."
---John Barrymore

Today I delivered food to elderly people for the Meals on Wheels program. The recipients, who were in their late 80s and 90s, were not necessarily in the best of health but were well enough to be living in their own homes or apartments. I had a wonderful conversation with one gentleman who is nearly blind. Just coming to his door seemed to brighten his day, as he is a bachelor who doesn't have much family around. But the funny thing is that talking to him brightened my day too. He is a former teacher and administrator, and worked as a high school teacher, assistant principal, and more, and he had many insights into teenagers (those always interest me as a mom of teens!) and into the history of Montgomery County Public Schools.

Another woman, said to be in her late 90s, was hard at work on an extremely difficult puzzle when I arrived with her meal. It had mountain and wooded scenery against a blue sky and background, and must have been a few hundred pieces. I was inspired by her diligence and interest in completing it (aren't puzzles one of those things that keep one's mind sharp?).

Some of the people I deliver to do indeed seem very old when I look at them and at their sometimes apparent physical problems. But upon talking to them I can often hear a more youthful spirit, or just provide an occasional listening ear. Either way it's as rewarding an activity for the deliverer (is that a word??) as the deliveree (not sure about that one either...).