TAKE THE TIME

She walked bent over and unsteady
Her gait had somewhat slowed
The years had now passed her by
She had nowhere to go.

Her groceries were being delivered
She no longer needed a car
Her apartment was cleaned by a service
She never wandered off very far.

She napped in her chair every afternoon
She sat by herself all alone
No one stopped by unexpectedly
Although she was usually home.

Her husband had died five years earlier
They were married over fifty plus years
She still set the table for both of them
How she wished that he was still here.

Her children grown with kids of their own
Lived too far away from the city
They did come to visit on holidays
Couldn’t stay too long, they were busy.

She got a ride once a week to “Game Night”
They played Canasta, Poker or Hearts
She liked playing Dominoes best though
She liked that… much better than cards.

She lost two of her friends last summer
One was eighty and one ninety-five
She wasn’t able to go to their funerals
She wasn’t able to tell them Goodbye.

It wasn’t easy living alone now
She struggled to face each new day
But she had faith and all of her memories
They helped chase the sadness away.

No one knows the heartbreak of aging
Until you find yourself there on your own
It’s hard to get by… when your strength’s nearly gone
It’s hard to live by yourself, all alone.

Think twice… if you know someone’s hurting
Reach out and lend them a hand
Take the time to sit and chat just a bit
Show them that you do understand.

A cup of tea and pleasant conversation
Can mean more than you’ll ever know
Sit for awhile and be patient
Don’t be in such a hurry to go.

Before you know it, it’s going to be your turn
You’ll be sitting all alone in your chair
You’ll hope that someone just like you
Will be there because somebody cares.