A good friend of mine shares her young daughter’s Halloween blessing!
“I used to pick up my daughter every Wednesday from kindergarten and make the hour-long trek to see my father-in-law at his nursing home. I encouraged her to think of something to tell her grandfather. Sometimes I even brought other children with me. On Halloween, she went in costume.
I saw these visits as a blessing on several fronts.
My father-in-law got a visit from a sweet girl who loved him, was happy to bestow kisses and sit on his lap.
The other residents of the home got to see a pleasant child who always brought something clever with her:
- The latest kindergarten project that I didn’t want. (I took pictures of great projects and kept those. My daughter then freely gave the projects away.)
- Flowers or a piece of nature. She was great with dandelions.
- A balloon. (Who would have thought of that? The last belly laugh I got out of my father-in-law came from batting the balloon with his granddaughter.)
My daughter learned that people are worth visiting and not to be afraid of the elderly or those in wheelchairs.
She grew up to work in a nursing home in college and took her sweet nature for the patients with her. Once she even took time to discuss a woman’s weightier questions about life and death and eternity as a result of not being afraid.
Tweetable: An elderly friend or family member might appreciate a visit from your children in their Halloween costumes. Can you fit it into the schedule this week? Click to Tweet