Years ago, a friend once said to me, “It’s the little things in life that count,” which I promptly blew off because of my younger outlook on life.
That old adage has proven itself to be more true than ever over the past couple of months with the shutdown of businesses, schools, organizations and events, along with stay-at-home orders.
A case in point occurred last Friday thanks to the lessening of restrictions in Pennsylvania. It is hoped similar restrictions will be eased in Western New York counties soon as well.
With the area shifting from “red” restrictions to “yellow” in northern Pennsylvania counties, my siblings and I were permitted to send food and coffee from restaurants into our mother’s nursing home. Prior to that, no outside products from us or businesses could be sent in.
Who would thin k that something seemingly as insignificant as a cup of coffee from the outside would be such a big deal, but it was to Mom.
“Hi, how are you doing?”
“I wish I could have a good cup of coffee,” was my mother’s standard greeting at her nursing home window during my visits the past six weeks or so. For clarification, Mom likes food and drinks from outside of the home, not necessarily because they’re disagreeable, but because they are from a loved one’s thoughtfulness.
Anyway, Mom’s requests made me feel so guilty that even if I wanted to haul along a cup of coffee from my home for my own consumption during the colder days of my visits, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
On Saturday, under the yellow restrictions, with my hands covered in vinyl gloves and a mask on, I handed a covered cup of coffee and a sealed box of chocolates for the receptionist to hand over to staff to take into Mom’s room. I quickly went around outside to her window and watched as the staff transferred the coffee into a cup from the kitchen at the home and give it to Mom. She took a sip, smiled and said it was good and hot. Such a small thing, but such a big gift to Mom. Other nursing homes in the area also have eased restrictions making it possible for families to now visit their loved ones through windows, which is also a big deal to all involved.
There have been other events taking place since the onslaught of the pandemic that might have been viewed as no big deal in the past, but now mean the world to many people in our communities. They include a walk along a favorite path outside, taking a drive through a park or back road to see budding trees and plants, getting gardens ready for spring planting and receiving letters, emails, texts or phone calls from family and friends.
During a Zoom session in celebration of my nephew’s college graduation this past weekend, I realized just how fortunate we are in the Twin Tiers to continue to enjoy some of the aforementioned “little things,” such as walks and drives.
My nephew, Dan, is a new college grad and is with his parents, my sister and her husband. Their home in Norwood, N.J. is just 12 to 15 miles from New York City, the epicenter of pandemic. During the Zoom session, one of my sister’s close friends from the Washington Heights area of Manhattan told all of us the only time he ventures out for a walk, likely with a mask, are early morning hours before dawn as there are fewer pedestrians at that time of day. In addition, he said there are sick residents all around him and an older neighbor of his hasn’t dared to go out of her apartment for a month.
The little things many of us are able to do in the Twin Tiers would be a big deal to these folks.
Another easing of restrictions freed up a couple of area nursing homes to allow Mother’s Day parades in front of the facilities. These might not have drawn as much attention in the past, but it drew in many vehicles with drivers who thought it was a big deal at the Bradford (Pa.) Ecumenical Home where my mother resides, and Field of Dreams in Allegany, N.Y.
Each of the processions drew dozens of vehicles, some elaborately painted and decorated with signs of love for their mothers, while other vehicles were undecorated but joined in as a gesture of support. My vehicle was decorated as best as could be expected with my few balloons, plastic flowers and streamers trying to blow away in the strong gusts of wind.
My daughter, her husband and my grandson followed behind in their lightly decorated vehicle as well.
It was sunny, but chilly in the 50s as I yelled out the window to a nursing home resident sitting in front of Mom that I hoped the wind didn’t bother her. Without hesitation, she yelled back, “I don’t mind, I love this.”
These acts of support for those in more restrictive environments were a big deal to many seniors like this woman. It also was another example of how renewed appreciation of the little things will help many of us get through the pandemic — and, hopefully, come out better on the other side.
(Kate Day Sager is a reporter with Bradford Publishing Co. Her email is kates_th.yahoo.com.)
