On the Other Side of the Wall: The Meeting

   She walks in circles around the living room, quietly asking herself, "Where am I?" over and over. Slowly parting the sheer curtains she presses her face to the window. Bright headlights beam through the thick early darkness of the fall night. "Is that Nat? Is that Nat? Is that Nat?" Somehow as she squints and tries to see the cars coming down the road she knows that this is not really her home. Nat must be coming soon to take her back home. "Where am I? Where am I? Where am I?". Six times she peers out the window looking for her husband. Will he ever come? Will Grandma ever know where she is?

   At 7:00 that evening I was sitting in the living room with Mom and Dad. They explained the decision they made to have Grandma come live with our family was made out of necessity. Grandpa was no longer able to care for Grandma by himself at home so she had to live with us. Today was the logical step they took for her. Our big house was only thirty minutes away from Grandpa. Our other relatives lived farther away and were unable to care for someone in their homes. Mom's nursing experience made her the primary care-giver and myself along with my siblings and my Dad were to be the helpers. Dad said that Grandma was his and Mom's responsibility and if I had any concerns I could talk with them. Our conversation was simple and brief. Maybe Grandma would live with us for two more years until her health completely failed but until then we were going to take care of her. I knew it was the right choice. We had to do this as a family. But for me the idea of caring for Grandma held as much light as the heavy darkness outside.