My mother in law dispatched us to visit Stephen's grandma, who lives in the assisted living facility I worked at from 2009--2012 (with random sessions of moving to southern Ca in between).
She lives in the dementia section of the campus, where minds are often more infirm than the body. There was crying, moaning, and confusion. And people. People who were once beautiful, vibrant, youthful individuals, who are now entrusted to us.
I knew most the faces, stories, and lives behind the matted gray heads, and filmy eyes. I hugged, comforted, and loved as many as I could.
Becoming old is painful. Dementia, other diseases, and life's trials wrack the frame. The human mind can easily look at these precious individuals and see just wasted bodies and diseased minds--zombies-- some might say.
But they are not. They are people. Artfully created. Placed on earth by a Creator.
Even at the end, when the beauty, sweetness, and freshness is gone, human life is sacred and must be protected.
When I was a little eighteen year old, interviewing for a job at that assisted living home, my soon-to-be-boss asked me why the work of serving the elderly was so important. I said something about learning from history, and while that's true, there's more.
It's important because a person, whether at ninety five, eighteen, or a babe in the womb is a life: the most precious thing.
Life is sacred.
Life must be cherished.
Life must not be ended on our terms.
It's easy to talk about the sanctity of life when we're advocating for the lives of sweet, little babies. But the value of human life can not be trumpeted just because of aesthetics. We can't hold unborn children up as our standard of those neglected, while forgetting about those on the other edge of life. We have to defend the sanctity of life of those broken, ugly, and tired. We are humans, blessed with intelligence, marvelous skill, and the ability to create beauty. However, we do not have the authority to end life. We are called to preserve life, to comfort and love those who are sick--until they are called home.
Hi Susie! Thanks for following my blog. Loving your header! I just got married... love meeting new friends!
ReplyDeletelikewise! and i love when people comment :)!
DeleteI've been thinking about this a lot lately. Especially how our culture treats people when they start losing their memory/falling apart physically/when they don't recognize you any more.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wonder how I would act, I know how I get uncomfortable, and just want to run away.
"There was crying, moaning, and confusion. And people. People who were once beautiful, vibrant, youthful individuals, who are now entrusted to us."
You said it so well. They are still them. People are still people, just like tiny babies can't recognize their loved ones, and they are so precious and still themselves so full of preciousness and soul. I've never thought of it like a trust before. This moved me a lot. Thank you so much for writing this!!
And thank you so much for reading it!
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