Border Lands

When I arrived at the community, I did not see Josephine.  The staff person replied to my inquiry with, "She is in her room."  I explained that I sit and talk with her every month, and that I would like to see her.  Looking slightly perturbed, she agreed to go see if she wanted to see me.  I prayed that J. would remember my name for her dementia continues to encroach on the territory where her alertness and memory reside.  

She soon walked out, laden with a large Pendleton pillow and a family sized Bible.  She said, rather matter of factly, "They are going to burn my room."   Yes, I was caught off guard, causing me to wonder what the staff person actually said (maybe clean her room?).  I replied, "They did not mention that to me, so I think we are okay. Let's find a place to sit and you can tell me about the beautiful things you have brought with you." I asked her if she wanted to sit on the couch or at a table.  We settled in on the couch.   I was not surprised. It seems to be one of her favorite spots. 

   

Her Bible, published in 1956, was written in Spanish and is entitled Sagrada Biblia.  J. grew up on on the south Texas/Mexico border and I understand she lived in both Texas and Mexico.  She said her mother never really learned English, but J. wanted to at an early age, and she went on to have a very good career in Los Angeles. When I asked about the pillow, she told me it belonged to her husband.  We perused the Bible (one of those wonderful older Bibles that has pictures of the Holy Land, Jesus, Mary, and others) and talked until I was hearing the same stories for a third time.  Fortunately, her room never caught fire.   

   

As I think about it, I am wondering if she saw some footage of the horrific fires in Australia on CNN.  For some reason the tv in one of the main rooms was tuned to that station.  I remember a few years ago walking into a community for advanced memory care, and one of the residents was sobbing, saying something about "the children".  I really could not make sense of it until later when I heard of a school shooting that happened earlier that day.  She probably saw footage of it on the television.  Many elders watch a lot of CNN, claiming the need to stay abreast of what is going on. Too often, I think watching the news is really an attempt to abate loneliness, but it is seldom a useful tool for that. To tune the television to the news in a memory care community just seems thoughtless. Too many of the images are disturbing and often, residents cannot simply stand up and walk away.     

  

J. and I hugged one another as I was leaving, and she said, "You always listen to me."  Alas, not entirely true.  It is not always easy, but always, all of us have to try.  

 Sagrada. To sit with her is a sacred call.  I have spent enough time ministering on these borders to know that much.