Friendship is medicine for the soul. . .especially the joy of a senior saint, poured out in love.
Each Friday the mismatched “Women of Grace” gather at a local bookstore. We are a single mom, a couple of grandmas, a newly married, a senior saint (and now a great grandma) and me.
Together we read The Friendships of Women by Dee Brestin and talk and laugh and laugh some more.
Between sips of cafe mocha and iced tea. Of course.
May I introduce to you Vivian, a senior saint of 80-plus years and the epitome of joy? Quiet joy.
Besides joy, the word that best describes Vivian is patient.
I asked her for own descriptors. She selected teacher and. . .hold onto your chair. . .impulsive shopper.
“What are typical impulsive purchases?” I asked. “Cookies? Blouses?”
“Oh, just about anything,” she replied.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Born in 1928, Vivian lived during the Great Depression when her dad made 15 cents an hour as a car mechanic. On Saturday evenings the family of five dined on pancakes in their Chicago apartment near Wrigley field and felt blessed. I asked her advice to people in today’s economic downturn: “Take whatever job is out there. During the Great Depression years, there was next to nothing, not even a job at a place like Walmart.”
In the crucible of difficulty Vivian learned God-dependent joy.
Especially in pain, daily physical pain.
Born without hip sockets, Vivian endured several hip surgeries as well as many other surgeries over the decades — 20, at last count — from gallbladder and appendix to hammertoes and a hysterectomy. While Vivian would love to ice skate again and climb Masada, an archeological treasure in Israel, she makes due with her walker. Life grows dark in loneliness at times without her best friend and farmer husband, Hardin. He passed away in December.
Nowadays she keeps up with family on Facebook — three children, several grandkids, and a granddaughter — and designs portraits of people from small squares of fabric. Think mosaic. (The photo above is an example. Cool, huh?)
She also has us, the mismatched “Women of Grace,” sitting at her side, drawing in her
wisdom,
humor,
and joy. . .simply, “Lord, I belong to you.
(BTW, I think she may consider her Nook purchase as proof of her impulsive shopping. It took her two weeks to decide 🙂 )
Truly friends are medicine for the soul.
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Psst. . .Did you read Day 18 of my series 31 Days of Friendship? It’s titled “Unlikely Friends.” Meet Bella and Tara. Click here to meet them.
You Are Blessed!
Such a sweet story thank you for sharing it !
Vivian is a power senior saint with a sweet spirit. I am blessed to call her friend. 🙂 Do you have a senior saint who speaks words of life into your life?