“SO HELP YOU GOD!” I yelled at the TV, vigorously waving an arm at the General Hospital character getting sworn in at the court in the plot. “Nina sucks!”
I was visiting a lady turned adopted grandma at the retirement community I used to work at, and we were getting worked up about the state of the world and the soaps, both onscreen and off.
“Did you hear about Jason’s real wife?? Isn’t that CRAZY?!” “Yeah!!” We turned our gleeful ire back to the unfortunate saps on TV. It didn’t really matter who it was. The joy came from our indiscriminate heavy fire of ridicule and lambast. Machine gun crews would be hard pressed to match the withering hellfire, served up from overstuffed furniture. Poor Carly (GH character) never stood a chance.
It sure was nice to see her.
Another friend downstairs quietly conversed. Her son was moving, and she was sad. Her Parkinson’s caught up with her, and she got stuck on a word. She couldn’t get it out. I didn’t rob her of her dignity by being a human thesaurus with suggested phrases, as I’ve done in the past. I just sat with her. “You know what I’m thinking?” I asked. “No.” “Well, I’d guess that you’re feeling frustrated, right?” “Yeah.” “All I’m thinking is how nice it is to see you.”
Of course I wish nobody got Parkinson’s, or got old, or died. If we could see the crosses that we all bear, we’d cry for ten days straight before we’d be able to think. I know only a fraction of them in that particular building, but they weigh heavy on my shoulders by the very thought.
But there they are - standing up, or sitting in their wheelchairs, carrying on. Moving forward. The nurse buddy who’s spouse died suddenly a month ago is helping a man who built a career, family, home, and now is getting about half of the spoonful of food the nurse holds up as she talks to him lovingly.
Jordan Peterson makes an interesting point about one of the many ways to interpret the betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ.
He clearly saw what he was getting into, accepted his cross fully, and moved forward with it. In doing so, he transcended the Game.
Working in a place like that showed me the nobility - and utility - in the daily contending with our limitation. I feel like we’ve entered Hard Times as a world. We’ll need to be strong and resourceful to right the Ship. It was good to get a reminder of that “old lady strength.” (Meant as a compliment to my mature female friends, of course!) I’ll be doubling my efforts.
And Sonny really should have something done about Nina. She’s horrible.