"Walking Together" Cards

A few years ago I volunteered with the Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office. I used to spend a lot of time in a local assisted living facility.

One day I sat in the foyer for a couple of hours with a 96-year-old lady. She lived in an apartment with “Popper”, her husband of 75 years.

Popper had passed away that morning. Although she had been told, she kept forgetting. She just sat there, wearing her coat, purse on her lap, asking over and over where Popper was.

Finally the chaplain came in and knelt by her. He told her that Popper had passed away. She was very distressed and said, “Oh! That is not news you want to hear.” “No,” said the chaplain.

Looking down at her hands, she said, “We were married a long time.” “Yes, a long time,” he agreed.

Then the lady looked directly at the chaplain and said, “We did it right.”