"Tell Gladys Goodbye"

Passage:  1 John 4:7  “Dear friends, let us love one another because love is from God.”

Our family has always made a big deal of saying goodbye.  Everyone has to hug everyone – no one is immune from the ritual.  Everyone goes outside and waves them down the road.  The youngest ones will run to the end of the yard and the grown-ups will stay near the house waving until their arms almost fall off and waiting for the car horn to honk the familiar goodbye honk.  Whether weird or not, it was just our way. 

My mom has had to leave her house of almost 60 years and move into a care facility.  Last year my three sisters and I had the task of taking care of our mother’s things and making decisions about what needed to be done.  It was at times funny, other times sad, and other times very difficult as we said goodbye to our childhood home.  Many others have found themselves in this very place of facing life’s certainty of change.

Each time we leave her place now she still insists on walking us to the door so she could wave at us as we leave to head home.  One time as I began the process of leaving I gave mom one more hug and she pulled me close and whispered “tell Gladys goodbye”.  I was sort of puzzled by this statement and as I raised my head to look around I saw Gladys, one of the residents, standing right behind me.  I looked at her and she was smiling ear to ear.  So according to our tradition, I turned to give her a hug.  Gladys gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and said I love you.” 

Gladys had not had anyone come for her to tell her goodbye and my mom wanted to make sure she had that blessing.  She was willing to share her special goodbye with someone who was lonely and just wanted someone to say goodbye to.

It is still hard to say goodbye to my mom in her new place but I also feel comfort knowing that while some things change, some never do.  She is still concerned about making sure everyone is OK, everyone gets included, everyone gets a personal goodbye.  Thanks mom…you are still teaching me lessons of love.  

Who do you know that may be looking and waiting for love this Christmas?