All the Lonely People

"I think of all the lonely people.

Where do they all come from?"

Remember that line from the old Beatles song?

That song came to mind as I thought about a couple visits I've had recently at an asssisted living center near my work.

A couple that has been married 71 years(!) has been very generous in their financial support of the Service Center. And so I scheduled a visit with them last week to thank them. We had lunch in the dining room of their new home. What a blessing it was to hear about their lives and careers. You can learn a lot from a couple who has been together for more than seven decades. What I noticed as I walked in the dining room was how many of the residents looked up and wanted to catch my eye. I knew a few of them and went over to give them hugs. The others looked happy just to have a guest who was younger than them.

All the lonely people...there are so many of them in nursing homes and retirement center.

Then on Sunday morning it seemed that the Lord put on my heart our dear friends from Highland, David and Jodie Fry. We lived next door to them for nine years while our children were in elementary, middle school and early high school. They had a pool and often invited us over for a cool dip which felt so good on those 90 plus degree days. We often ate with them at our house and theirs. The Frys taught us how to play Chicken Foot. And Jodie taught Shannon how to dive off the board.

David and Jody were so active and vibrant back then. Walking around the neighborhood. Going to ACU basketball games. Swimming. Working in their garden. Now, with earth suits that are wearing out like all of ours are, they a quiet and simple life at this same retirement center.

We took them to Rosa's Cafe after church. They're both on walkers and move quite slowly. It was wonderful catching up with them, talking about memories as neighbors. But it was also sad to see how they've slowed down so much. I thank the Lord for prompting me to give them a call and inviting them for lunch.

All the lonely people. We who are still healthy and active with our jobs, our children and church activities often forget those whose bodies have caused them to get off the fast track. I call them "the forgotten people, " since people like me are so busy that I don't slow down enough to take time out to go see them or take them to a movie or dinner. It's kind of an "out of sight out of mind" phenomena.

Who are the lonely, elderly people in your life? I know that a visit or phone call from you would likely be the highlight of their day. It certainly seemed to be highlight for the Frys and the couple in their 71st year of marriage.

Jim