little old lady
Yesterday I met the cutest little old lady I think I have ever seen. She must have been in her late 90s, hunched and frail, but with a genuine smile and lively, beautiful blue eyes.
Me and my grandma and grandpa had just been out for dinner (at an old peoples´home!) and met her on our way back to the car. We talked with her for a bit, and learnt that she´d grown up in the orphanage which used to be where the old peoples´home now stood. My grandma was astounded and commented on how much joy she spreads. How can she be so happy now, when she has so much to be bitter about? She answered that Jesus means the world to her. He has given her so much to be thankful about!
As we had to leave, grandma touched her arm, bent over to look her in the eyes and said "God bless you". The little old lady lit up with surprise, and thankfully said "I love hearing that!"
I was surprised that a christian lady like her would react that way after a simple "God bless you"! I mean... I hear those words all the time. But then she was very old. Maybe all her friends are gone... Maybe she can´t make it to church on her own...
She interrupted my thoughts with a chearful "I´ll see you!". Catching my smile, she looked me in the eyes and added assuringly, "maybe not here again, but in heaven!" Content, she turned, and I went to help grandma get into the car.
I realised I had tears in my eyes.
I think it was the effect of this little old lady´s deep certainty of where she was headed. How she so looked forward to it. And her certainty that we were all headed there together.
Me and my grandma and grandpa had just been out for dinner (at an old peoples´home!) and met her on our way back to the car. We talked with her for a bit, and learnt that she´d grown up in the orphanage which used to be where the old peoples´home now stood. My grandma was astounded and commented on how much joy she spreads. How can she be so happy now, when she has so much to be bitter about? She answered that Jesus means the world to her. He has given her so much to be thankful about!
As we had to leave, grandma touched her arm, bent over to look her in the eyes and said "God bless you". The little old lady lit up with surprise, and thankfully said "I love hearing that!"
I was surprised that a christian lady like her would react that way after a simple "God bless you"! I mean... I hear those words all the time. But then she was very old. Maybe all her friends are gone... Maybe she can´t make it to church on her own...
She interrupted my thoughts with a chearful "I´ll see you!". Catching my smile, she looked me in the eyes and added assuringly, "maybe not here again, but in heaven!" Content, she turned, and I went to help grandma get into the car.
I realised I had tears in my eyes.
I think it was the effect of this little old lady´s deep certainty of where she was headed. How she so looked forward to it. And her certainty that we were all headed there together.
posted by Ellen Miles at 9:39 AM
7 Comments:
I'm glad that you responded to the little old lady. I met an elderly lady in the former Soviet Union and I felt compelled to tell her that "Jesus loves you and he's not forgotten you," and the expression on her was unforgettable.She was a former school teacher! I thought about that lady for a very long time after that.
Wow.. that´s amazing! I love how God often chooses to speak through us :)
Thatsa wonderful story, I am not a christian myself, but it doesn't mean that I don't understand the beauty in this. Elder people have lived the most amazing life. :)
Takk for at du delte dette møtet. Veldig fint å lese. Takk for kommentar på bloggen min også. Jeg skal si fra om jeg kommer på myspace en gang.
Ser deg på Tautra i sommer :) Skal på gospelfestivalen der for første gang. Ble glad da jeg hørte at du skulle synge der!
Lovely, brings back good memories. I stumbled on your blog by accident and really enjoyed reading this. Keep it up.
I hope you don't mind, Ellen, I found your little-old-lady picture on a google search and reused it for a blog post of my own. I am absolutely non-commercial and if you read the post, I think you'll see why your photo suited so beautifully :-)
Hi Ellen, is this your photo that you own?
I would love to use it for a talk I give on gratitude.
Can you please email me?
tonipowelloz AT gmail DOT com
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