LAFOLOT

Gift of Listening

Ha Ha Helen reporting in (as I recuperate from an intestinal virus)…. ugh!

Luckily, I come from a family of 7 children whose mother was a nurse. As a result, I learned a lot about home remedies and caring for myself when I’m under the weather.

After almost 24 hours of only lemon-water, tea with honey and lemon, or a little juice; I started to get my energy back this morning. I ventured out of my house with the intention of picking up Pepto-Bismol, as well as cup-of-soup packets and melba toast. I intended to run in and run out of the grocery store, because I was ‘still’ a bit dependent on the bathroom!

I headed straight for the aisle witht he Pepto Bismol, got the other items. Then, I remembered I needed one last item, an emergency Cat Litter purchase! As I quickly made my left into the Pet Aisle; there was a cart blocking the overstocked aisle. There was an senior woman looking intently at one shelf.

I announced, appropriately, so as to get by: BEEP! BEEP! Oh, C’mon – s’cuse me is so much more boring! She turned to me and smiled, laughing as she moved her cart saying: “Ha, I just asked someone earlier if I was in THEIR way!” Then, she made some comment about what a chore it was grocery shopping.

Then, she mentioned having a coupon for a specific type of energy saving lightbulb, but she couldn’t find the item. I saw a store clerk stocking shelves half-way up the aisle. I suggested she might want to ask the clerk. She thanked me pointing out the clerk; and I started to move up the aisle. Then, I thought, I know how to cheer her up! I stopped – pulled out one of my LAFOLOT Smile Face with Positive Message bookmarks, handed it to her and said: ‘Here, would you like a bookmark?’ She had a hearing aid in both ears, so I had to repeat it louder.

Her face lit up! She exclaimed, this is great and I read a lot, too! Then she asked me what it was I did? I told her I teach Laughter Wellness. She thought that was great!

Then, she began to tell me ALL ABOUT HER LIFE! She referred to herself in the first person, at one point, so I knew her name was Jane. She was going to be turning 90 in a month, she became a nurse in 1941 and worked at our local State Mental Health hospital most of her life, she had wanted to become a home economics teacher, but there weren’t jobs in that area. She said she didn’t regret a day of her decision to become a nurse, instead. She told me she attends a local Presbyterian church and wanted to a couple more Smiley Bookmark cards to give one to her minister for a possible future laughter program! She talked highly of her church, she told me she had really loved her mother-n-law and wasn’t that odd? She mentioned her good, hard-working husband had died on Good-Friday, just before Easter – years ago. Plus a whole lot more…

I was concerned because of having an intestinal virus and being around someone I might make ill. I had made use of the store’s sanitizing hand wipes before I entered the store. But, I was torn between cutting her conversation short – knowing she really needed to talk – and getting her sick. When the time seemed right, I let her know – showing her the pepto bismol in my cart, that I was dealing with a stomache virus and didn’t want to make her ill. I let her know I needed to move on. We wished eachother good days as we parted.

I just found it all very fascinating! Just when we think we are down and out for whatever reason, something or someone comes along to let us know we still have something to give – even if it’s just a listening ear!

Happy upcoming Holidays (however you celebrate). Like my new buddy, Jane, may we all collect new happy, warm-hearted, sentimental memories this Holiday Season!

Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com

Tags: angels, Camp Hill, Carlisle PA, Ha Ha Helen, Harrisburg, Hershey, lafolot, Laughter, laughter therapy, mechanicsburg, smile, stress relief, Wellness, Women

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm and is filed under Ha Ha Helen Blog.