Feeling "funny"?

      I was talking with my 90 yr old Aunt today, and she said something that caught my attention and pulled at my heart. When I asked her how she was doing, she paused and said "I'm not sure.." I asked what she meant and all she could say was that she feels "funny". Worried, I asked her about her health (body), thinking she may be sick. When she told me she had just been to the Dr. the day before and everything was fine, I continued to pry. "What feels funny Auntie?" She said she couldn't explain it very well but that it felt like numbness; without a purpose; boredom. Her mind still has the thoughts and desires of a young woman but her body and the way she must live, do not agree. "I guess I have to just face it," she said, "I am an old woman and what's left for me to do?"

     Now to be honest, I had called her to let her know that I had planned on coming to visit her today, but the weather was so awful, I was about to reschedule, but how could I when she sounded like this? "Well Auntie, I wanted to come visit you today, do you think that would be alright?" Before I could finish asking, she said she would really like that. Almost immediately her mood seemed to change and the last few words she spoke before we hung up seemed chipper and excited.

    Do you ever feel "funny"? No matter what age we are, we are all susceptible to these "funny" lonely; purposeless; bored feelings. I thought that having a bunch of kids would cure me of these feelings once and for all! But they still creep in from time to time. Why? What can we do to prevent this kind of stealthy sadness? What can we do to cure it in others? Could we do both at the same time? Is it really as simple as a quick phone call or short visit?

Thank you to all those who reminded me what IHS is all about. Serving others. And in doing so, healing yourself.   "Put it on the Calendar!" :)

Summer*