Such a Little Thing, Really

Yesterday afternoon, as I always do, I drove to my parents' home to help serve and clean up dinner. My mother who has dementia, wanted to know why it took me so long to get there. My dad was frustrated with her and said, "I want to go away and never come back." My mother had been begging him to eat dinner since 1pm. She did have a snack, but she wanted dinner. Perhaps she could smell the roast and potatoes and became confused. I served dinner, roast, cauliflower, potatoes and gravy, tea and we all enjoyed our dinner. My dad, who was bothered with stomach pain (we think because he took pain reliever for a headache) felt some relief after eating. My mother enjoyed looking at the neighbor's Christmas lights and commented on the colors. Then my dad mentioned that he wanted to send those neighbors a Christmas card, They moved in recently, a mother, father and baby girl. Pretty soon, my dad brought out Christmas cards, return address labels, stickers, stamps and the address book that my Mother made back when, her words, "I was smart." I addressed the cards, put on the return address labels and the stamps and my dad signed the cards and sealed the envelopes with stickers. My mother hopes that by sending out these Christmas cards, they will receive cards in the mail. I addressed a dozen envelopes to their brothers and sisters, neighbors and a couple cousins. It took perhaps a half hour. And yet, by their gratefulness and joy, you would have thought I'd given them the world. It really is the small things that make a difference.