Getting rid of the frail old body and moving on up!

Not to be alarmed, kiddies, it is not me!  But yesterday I got a phone call.  A friend is dying and would I come?  Of course!  I left the sewing job I was working on down stairs, put on my bra, and drove across town.  I joined her husband, the minister and a girl from Sangre de Cristo Hospice at her bedside.  She had grown even frailer than the last time I had seen her a week before.  She is at home in a hospital bed in the front room surrounded by the remnants of her life.  Throughout the afternoon a few friends stopped by, more of hospice stopped in, and flowers were delivered.  She did not know it, but we all did.

I looked around the room at pieces of art that represented her life.  There were framed tatted doilies that she had made.  Art work by her daughter.  Pictures of her and Doug when they were young.  Pictures of the kids, the grandkids, the dog, and where had the cat gotten off to anyway?

And everywhere reminders of the activism in thier lives.  I do not know when I met these people nor where.  It seems I had always known them.  The Peace Flotilla, Meals on Wheels, Ghandi Peace Garden, Rally against Amendment #2, on and on.  Always Doug passing out flyers or leading the march and always Dorothy on his arm.  We belong to the same church, and apparently belong to the same causes!

I believe that on this level words are not needed.  I believe the person preparing for the journey knows exactly what is going on and can intercept our thoughts.  So I gave her good ones!  Green valleys, cool sunshine, soft clouds, and the gentlest rain.  I gave her soft music, beautiful flowers, and sweet smells.  I gave her soft kittens and butterflies; and I hope a glimpse of the Holy City where she will live after she flits around the world and fills her head with the knowledge of the ages.  And finished with the face of Jesus, so kind, caring and welcoming with his out stretched arms.  "Come home, Dorothy.  I am waiting."

I had to come home for a while in the evening to do chores.  When I went back Dorothy had quieted.  Her daughters arrived about 10:00.  I think she was waiting for them.  I took my leave so they could say thier goodbyes without a stranger there.  I have not heard this morning and it is kind of early to call, but if I were a betting person, I would bet she is free from her body that held her prisoner and is soaring above us, smiling down and touching us with a peace that is not attainable on this level.

God speed, Dorothy!  See you soon!

 

Doug and Dorothy; a study in the human side of living.

I should be horse whipped for what I am about to attempt!  Those two little people there are complete and absolute Saints and I am going to attempt to tell you why without even knowing half of what this man and woman have done for the betterment of this fair city where I reside.
 
I first met Doug Gale  and his lovely wife Dorothy while I was attending Christ Congregational Church in Belmont.  Belmont is a subdivision of Pueblo, Colorado.  I think that was about 6 or 7 years ago.  As I recall he was pushing participation in the Crop Walk which is a fundraiser designed to restock food pantry's and such.  I did not pay very much attention to Doug and Dorothy other then to make a note that here was two old people that I should be nice to.
 
Then I began to notice that Doug and Dorothy were turning up at a lot of places that I frequented.  Peace rallies, Political rallies, various fundraisers, church functions and then I ran into them at SRDA delivering Meals on Wheels, Martin Luther King functions, the Ghandi Peace Garden.  Lord those people were every where!  I do not remember what I was working on that caused me to need to drop things off at Doug and Dorothy's house, but it was then that I began to see just what a force these two were in Pueblo. These people worked with any thing that had to do with old people, young people, civil rights, animal rights, gay or straight, military and they even turned up down in Peppersauce Bottoms when we were sandbagging to keep the torrential rains out of those homes.  My God the man is next in line to God as far as I am concerned!  And by his side is his lovely wife Dorothy.
 
Anyone who has ever met Doug and Dorothy will realize that while Dorothy is his beloved wife, he is in turn her caregiver.  Doug is on our Pastoral Relations Committee at the First Congregational Church and is quick to note to all that it is Doug and Dorothy.  Always Doug and Dorothy.  The only time Doug does not have Dorothy by the hand is when he has duties that take him aside and then he makes sure their daughter is there to hold her hand.  He thinks we should hold hands in church when we pray.  His reasoning is he always has Dorothy, but there might be some people who have no one and this would give human contact.
 
What can I say about this couple?  How can I make you understand that while I can not even tell you how many people these two have helped feed and clothe, given peace and respite , given hope and comfort, and never complained that it was an inconvenience to give any one a hand up.  No dog goes unpetted and there is always a smile on the face of this little fellow and a twinkle in his eye.  I must admit that as I have come to know Doug and Dorothy better, I find myself trying to immolate Doug. 
 
I think it finally dawned on me at the Peace Flotilla this year.  This man has organized schools, city fathers, churches, and I do not know what all to get the biggest crowd ever to launch the floats.  And the daughter held her mother's hand so Doug was free to mix with little kids, men in suits, women with flowers and a dog or two that ran past. 
 
I pray for these 2 people every day and I pray for this woman on this computer that she can be just a little like Doug and Dorothy. I pray that I can gain half their goodness, a fraction of their faith and just  tiny drop of the compassion that these two people are filled with for the whole human race.