Certain moments are shot through with veins of peace and well-being.
One such moment, while caring for friends’ young children, occurred several years ago. I knew these kid well; we saw each other weekly. One was 3 and a half. The other was not yet a year and a half. Imagine spirited kids, and an overwhelmed-by-life caretaker. I had been trying to balance errands around the house with constant visual attention. Things changed fast in that house!
I was loading laundry, peeking my head around the doorway to spy on snacking children. Laundry complete, I retreated temporarily to the living room couch — also within view of the table. I closed my eyes. I heard the kids in a sing-song: “We’re fine, Kirsten. We’re fine, Kirsten.” Suddenly I could breathe. It was impossible not to smile. The world was deeper, stronger, more harmonious. I opened my eyes.
I am reminded of this moment whenever I forget that all of us are responsible for one another, that we are all in this grand adventure together. For these children to care for their caregiver, offering exactly the reassurance needed to trip a deeper knowledge of well-being, was infinitely gracious, and full of grace.
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A similar moment, this one belonging to my grandmother, is a story we call in my family “Grandma Comforts the Comfort Keeper.”
You can already see where this is going. My grandmother, in her early 90s, lived at home independently. A younger person, often a woman, would come by regularly to check on her wellness and to provide help with simple tasks: Fetch a jar of home-canned peaches from the basement. Take out the trash. Reach a special baking pan from a high shelf.
One day, a familiar young woman arrived, in an unusual state of disarray. She wasn’t feeling well.
“Sit down, honey. Put your head between your knees. Let me get you a cold washcloth for your forehead.” I am no doubt getting the details wrong, but that’s the essence of what happened: roles reversed, and Grandma comforted the one who had come to give her comfort.
We miss you, Grandma! Thank you for all the comfort you brought us in 93 years.
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