The long-term care community always looked forward to the annual talent show. One year I especially remember, despite her reluctance, the Life Enrichment team encouraged Ruth to enter. Ruth, in her 90s, eventually agreed, though she now lived in the skilled nursing community.
Ruth second-guessed herself about entering the talent show right up to when the emcee announced her time on the program.
We watched as this very small, fragile lady walked gingerly to the piano. After carefully sitting on the piano bench, she began playing and singing “I Love You Lord.” It was wonderful!
After the talent show, I sat next to Ruth on the piano bench. I would play a song and we would sing it together. We took turns picking songs. Her choice was always “I Love You Lord.”
We sang “I Love You Lord” together. Then I would pick a song. When her turn came, she would ask, “Have we sung I Love You Lord?” We sang it again. We repeated this exchange a few more times with Ruth consistently requesting that we sing “I Love You Lord” which we did.
I remember the last time I saw Ruth as I walked past her room and looked in to say “Hi.” I saw this very precious, small, frail wonderful woman curled up in her bed asleep – probably singing “I Love You Lord” as she slept. Soon after, she went home to be with Jesus. I’m fairly certain what her first words were when she saw our Lord face to face.
Ruth not only sang these wonderful words, she lived and breathed them every day and modeled a wonderful way of thinking and living that we all could adopt as we begin 2020.
Happy New Year from Lessons Learned Solutions!
