Reading to a person I don't know...I've done it have you?
By moondancer
@moondancer (7431)
United States
February 7, 2009 7:27pm CST
I use to go 3 days a week and read to this lovely elserly lady. I don't know if she heard me or not. But just in case she could, I'd read to her. I didn't know her. She didn't know me.
The first time we met if you want to call it a meeting was when she was in a bed. She couldn't do things for herself. I don't know if she even knew where she was.
So sad, but a sweet lady none the less.
She was in a nursing home. I wanted to be there for someone that got no visitors. She was the first person I went to see.
I would read to her hoping that she could here me and know that she was not alone.
Maybe the books I read to her she liked them. Hopefully they took her to places that she could not go to on her own, but maybe in her mind she traveled to these places.
Have you ever done anything just to be doing it for someone? Not knowing if they knew you were there for them.
Have you ever just read to someone? Or went to visit someone for any reason other than to se people that you knew?
Tell me about what you have done for another person.
Thank you for responses.
5 people like this
8 responses
@lilaclady (28206)
• Australia
8 Feb 09
I used to read to an elderly man in a nursing home until he passed away, now I was never a top of the class kid when I was at school and this man was heavily into political books, it was not easy for me to even understand some of what i was reading, and some words I had never heard of before and couldn't even say, one word that took me a long time to get was ideology, I just could not say it, but I think it gave this very nice man a bit of a kick to think he was teaching me, and there were many words he had to explain to me as i am not into politics and communism which these books were about, so I guess we were helping each other...
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
8 Feb 09
aaaawwwww and you have this memory to this day. It was nice reading to that person and you gave him something that he craved and was unable to do for himself any longer. That is wonderful lilac. I hope that when we are elderly that someone will be so kind to us. as we love to write and read. So if someone reads to us our minds will remain working even if our bodies don't.
2 people like this
@BrianDaniel (256)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Yes, may it be returned to you in your old age. May we be blessed by others just as we have been a blessing to others. Brian
1 person likes this
@zhuhuifen46 (3483)
• China
8 Feb 09
What you described is just what I understand to be the typical work for a volumteer. It is very nice of you to read for somebody who need spiritual comforting. And chating or reading is the best way for this purpose. For people who cannot physically visit so many places, books are there to help fulfil the dream. I wish I had the opportunity, but here we do not have such opportunity. What I do is calling my mother frequently to send my greetings, or go visit her at short intervals to present her favorites, and bring my grandson along to have some nice time with her.
2 people like this
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Yes, I went to the nursing home and asked who does not get visitors or has no family to come see them. I told them the days I can visit and picked the hour for which one I can be there. Making sure that I didn't interfer with bath times, meals, etc. I also bring things that they say they want or need.
2 people like this
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Wow, I am impressed. How sweet of you to do something like that. You never know what comfort you may have provided her in her last years. I have done home health care in several capacities, but it was a job, not a genuine kindness like you have done.
2 people like this
@teka44 (3420)
• Brazil
8 Feb 09
Hi dear moondancer. I think that I can say yes. Some years ago I made tapes (reading books in tapes)to blind people. I loved to do this. And it was funny because to make the tapes more enjoyables I made different voices when was a conversation. I really enjoyed to do this. And the blind people loved the tapes too. But unfortunatly the Association that made this kind of things to blinds have closed. We were volunteers but the Association needed money to buy things like the tapes and couldn't get any help from community. So they closed. I would like to do this again. Maybe some day.
Dear, I hope you are feeling better about your health problems. Do you are taking care about yourself? Cheers dear.
1 person likes this
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
13 Feb 09
That is wonderful teka, and I know it meant a lot to the people lifes that you touched. I never thought to do that. I love reading I may have to check into this.
@mcelhenney (481)
• United States
9 Feb 09
Hi moondancer,That was a very nice and unselfish thing that you did. They say that people in comas can hear you talking so I am sure this lady heard you. I have never done anything like that,I'm sorry to say. Bless you for being such a wonderful caring person. I hope you have a good night.
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
13 Feb 09
Hello mc, I do know that you took care of someone for years...so you did take care of someone else. I guess you forgot. lol I didn't it's okay that others remind us of this we did before. You are caring and very giving.
@BrianDaniel (256)
• United States
8 Feb 09
moondancer, that is a great topic. Selfless service is one of the best things we can do in our communities. I have done lots of things for others without expecting anything in return, but I don't want to mention too many specifics about myself. I have visited nursing homes and been drawn to those who receive so few visits from family or friends (assuming that they have family and friends). However, I haven't read to anyone like that. It is real classy. I have read to stranger kids before and that is a lot of fun. Brian
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
8 Feb 09
I guess many of us have done many things and like you I won't get into all of that. I was just wondering about this one thing. As a movie on tv I don't remember what the movie was brought this conversation to life. As we are children just as when we are elderly we love being read to.
3 people like this
@BrianDaniel (256)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Interesting that you mention that moondancer :-0 I was going to put in my post that this thread reminds me of the movie The Notebook. But I chose to leave it out. But I think it is The Notebook that you are thinking of? I was just responding to a discussion earlier today on The Notebook! And I just mentioned to my wife earlier tonight that we should watch it this week, so renew our love, in light of Valentine's Day!!!
Are you familiar with that movie? It is one of our favorites!!!
Brian
1 person likes this
@BrianDaniel (256)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Here is the link to that Notebook discussion.
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1890653.aspx
Brian
@lazeebee (5461)
• Malaysia
8 Feb 09
Moondancer, I think you're great - doing something for someone whom you don't know, and who may not be able to acknowledge you. Most of us would give money or gifts - but time and effort really takes some sacrificing! I won't be able to do what you did - I really admire you for your kindness and altruism
!
!@moondancer (7431)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Thank you, it's hard to see the people that the nursinghomes have these days. The nursing homes are not as good as they use to be. They are over crowded and have too little staff to cope with the many people there.
2 people like this
@BrianDaniel (256)
• United States
8 Feb 09
My Mom was a great example to me in this kind of service. In high school she somehow got connected with a 90 year old man. She used to go and do a lot of things for him around the house. I would go only occasionally and didn't understand why she was doing it. Now as an adult, I understand fully, and admire her for sacrificing her time and money to care for this man.
1 person likes this
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
13 Feb 09
That is wonderful Brian. My children have told me that they remember the times that we spent on the weekends and time out from school at the animal shelters helping out walking the animals and playing with them, doing what was needed.
