Today we are taking cookies to my friend George.
We found out a couple of weeks ago that George has cancer and probably won't live long.
He's been a great friend to me and to my family.
He's not a young man and has lived a full life.
I wish I knew him even better.
Before I found out he was sick I was consumed with some personal issues.
I felt like I was carrying the world on my shoulders and wasn't sure of the outcome.
George came to my work that morning to have coffee with me as he often did on Sunday mornings.
I was not very talkative and probably quite rude.
He didn't know what was on my heart but I also didn't know what was on his.
Not thinking too much about it George gave his many compliments to me as he always did and went on his way.
If I could only take that day back.
If only I was more concerned about the hurts of the people around me than my own.
If I had trusted GOD more I maybe wouldn't have been so worried.
I ended up being OK but my friend won't be.
I'm lucky I have gotten to spend many days with George visiting and having coffee.
I'm lucky I get to take him cookies today.
I couldn't take 10 minutes that day but now I take hours to just sit with him and keep him company.
I am learning lots of new things about my friend and I am thankful! My lesson I learned and there will be more: Sometimes when things are difficult and you think you just aren't going to get through the day the person in front of you just might be dealing with something more difficult than you.
Try to live every day without regret! Well I took my 14-year-old son with me to visit our friend.
We took him a batch of chocolate chip cookies and as we watched him eat the first one, then the second I was beginning to get concerned after he was reaching for the 6th cookie.
George, you're going to be sick.
He just said "mam, they're so good".
George is an old cowboy so mam is usually what he calls me and I love it.
George didn't have his dentures in because they bother him so he was struggling with eating the chocolate chips.
Pretty soon he just started eating the cookie and spitting out the chips.
I put my hand out and let him spit them in my hand.
I was thinking this was a little gross but my hands will wash and so I just watched him enjoy these cookies like they were the best cookies he'd ever eaten.
After washing my hands I told George we would come back tomorrow and bring brownies with no chocolate chips.
That sounded great to both of us, lol.
Of course then George said "pumpkin pie sure sounds good mam" so my son and I went to the store on the way home and made brownies and pumpkin pie! We get to go back and see George again as we do every day.
We will watch him enjoy his brownies and pumpkin pie.
I hope to teach my son compassion through this experience.
I will not spend tomorrow wishing, If I could take that day back, I would! Today I took George a fruit smoothie from McDonalds.
He is getting really tired and his cancer is starting to take him down slowly.
I hold his hand, read to him or just sit by him until he falls asleep.
He reminds me that I am a neat outfit (cowboy talk) and I wonder how he can encourage me when he is feeling so bad.
He never complains! How can he be so positive when I know he is struggling.
I have enjoyed every day that I have had to spend with my friend in his last days.
I hope I have many more before he passes.
My next lesson learned: I didn't think I had time to stop and say Hi or just to have lunch with George.
Now I spend a few moments every day seeing if I can make him smile or just hold his hand for a while.
I sure wish I would have spent more time with him when he felt better.
Today George's struggle is coming to an end soon and every day it is an honor to be there for him.
I asked him what he thinks about when I'm not there and he told me he had 81 years of good memories to think about.
I hope I have that when it's my time.
Please don't wait to give your time away.
Maybe just a phone call or stopping by a friends.
You might not have tomorrow and you can't have that time back.
Did you know that there is a real need for warm and comfortable clothing at your local nursing homes.
Sometimes people end up there without preparation.
Warm blankets and clothing are a real need.
If you drop your donations off please take time to personally stop and visit with someone sitting alone.
There is such a need for these people to know someone cares.
I made a new friend, Caroline.
She has been at this care center for 5 years.
I just met her but It was her birthday the other day so I took her a birthday balloon, a card and her favorite dessert Tapioca Pudding.
It cost me $5.
96 but from the smile on her face you would have thought I gave her a million dollars.