My father-in-law is 92 years old. He lives on his own and, while his personality is lively, his movements are slow. We called him yesterday to check on him after the wild weather. After making sure he was okay, he said, “I’ve got something to tell you.”
He then told us how he had gotten his groceries and put them in his car. A young man (who could have been anywhere from 12 to 70, in my father-in-law’s eyes) stopped and said, “I’ll help you put your groceries in the car.” At first, Dad wasn’t sure, but then he said thank you. The man unloaded the groceries, made sure they were secure, and even took the trolley back.
A couple of days later, Dad was at the bank in line when another “young” man behind him said, “I’ll hold your place while we wait. There’s a chair over there, go sit down.”
Dad asked, “Oh, why? Was I swaying or looking weak?”
The man replied, “No, I just know my Dad would find it hard to stand for so long.”
Dad thanked him and went to sit down. When it was Dad’s turn, he nodded and smiled to show his appreciation.
Dad said to us, “I’m so surprised by the respect and care shown by these two ‘young’ men.”
So, from us to these two men, thank you for helping Dad in small but meaningful ways.
~ Caithe Cameron
(Image via Unsplash)