This post is just a reminder to us all to be a blessing to people. I was going through my journal notes and this entry struck me, it’s from 2003. My husband got this idea that it would be nice to put a fishtank in a nursing home. It would be something for the residents to enjoy looking at. So we did it. Of course we had to maintain it, and we weren’t professionals, but we did our best. My husband was ready to move on to another project after a year or so, but being a women (you know how it is girls-once we start something-we’re in it for life!), I faithfully took care of that fishtank for more than 10 years. It was alot of work, but oh the blessings I received! The residents LOVED it when I would take the kids in, especially Mark because he was so outgoing and always talked to them. The following story is just one of the many blessings I recieved!
7/5/2003
I went to clean out the fishtank today. Doris (name changed to protect the ininocent) was there and she was telling me about a fish that had died. With my hand down in the tank and half listening to her she said, “Guess what we found when we cut it open?”
I stopped cleaning the sides and looked at her. “You did an autopsy on the fish!?” These fish are small tropical fish (just so you have a visual on the size) “Well we HAD to know what he was all bloated from! One of the nurse’s aides cut him open.” (I’m pretty sure that’s NOT in their job description!) Doris continued on, “Bile!” she says, and she iis just beside herself in wonder of this. I’m still reeling that they did an autopsy on a fish! I’m trying to picture the scene in my mind…four old people and a nurse’s aide huddled in someone’s room hoping noone comes in. I knew the fishtank would occupy them, but I just thought feeding and looking at them would be the extent of it. This was amazing to me!
Over the years of cleaning that fishtank, I bonded with Doris and many others, and they with me. Be a blessing to someone, somehow. You never know what you’ll get in return!
Jean
