The Gift
A nursing home Christmas76 total reviews
Comment from Teri7
This is a very beautiful and very well written Christmas poem about visiting a lady in a nursing home. You used very good descriptive words and lovely imagery with the picture you chose to use. Some of my favorite times have been when I worked at a nursing home as a volunteer. It was wonderful helping each one that I got to help. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas. Teri
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2021
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This is a very beautiful and very well written Christmas poem about visiting a lady in a nursing home. You used very good descriptive words and lovely imagery with the picture you chose to use. Some of my favorite times have been when I worked at a nursing home as a volunteer. It was wonderful helping each one that I got to help. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas. Teri
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2021
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Thanks, Teri. The story is true. The boys are my grandsons, and the lady was my mother. I added to the poem for dramatic effect. I also volunteered at that nursing home during my mother's stay.
Comment from LateBloomer
Hello Paul, your poem is beautifully penned with real and raw emotions.
I especially liked:
She drew me over to her side,
And in those misty eyes I spied
A Christmas from some bygone day
With her and friends in horse drawn sleigh.
(Good imagery)
And:
Her boney hands, so thin and frail,
With desperate grip they told the tale,
As she then clung to those three boys
Like some small child with brand new toys
(Soulful)
Silky rhyming. Well-chosen artwork. A pleasure to read. Eloquent.
As this is a contest entry, I wish you good luck. LateBloomer
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2021
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Hello Paul, your poem is beautifully penned with real and raw emotions.
I especially liked:
She drew me over to her side,
And in those misty eyes I spied
A Christmas from some bygone day
With her and friends in horse drawn sleigh.
(Good imagery)
And:
Her boney hands, so thin and frail,
With desperate grip they told the tale,
As she then clung to those three boys
Like some small child with brand new toys
(Soulful)
Silky rhyming. Well-chosen artwork. A pleasure to read. Eloquent.
As this is a contest entry, I wish you good luck. LateBloomer
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2021
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Thanks for the beautiful review. Your second choice was my favorite.
Comment from Begin Again
I so wish I had a six to share with you for this outstanding poem. It touched on what Christmas should be; instead of all the sorrow and loneliness so many experience. It was simply beautiful and filled with warmth and love.
Hugs, Carol
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2021
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I so wish I had a six to share with you for this outstanding poem. It touched on what Christmas should be; instead of all the sorrow and loneliness so many experience. It was simply beautiful and filled with warmth and love.
Hugs, Carol
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2021
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Thanks, Carol. This is a true story about me, my grandsons, and my mother. I embellished a little for dramatic effect.
Comment from Patty Palmer
This is beautifully written. I spent most of my nursing career in geriatric nursing. I could just see this scene taking place in any nursing home anywhere. That short span of time you brought that woman back to her prime where Christmas was a happy day filled with love and children to play. More people should take on something like this. It might brighten someone's day. Thank you for sharing!
Patty
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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This is beautifully written. I spent most of my nursing career in geriatric nursing. I could just see this scene taking place in any nursing home anywhere. That short span of time you brought that woman back to her prime where Christmas was a happy day filled with love and children to play. More people should take on something like this. It might brighten someone's day. Thank you for sharing!
Patty
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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This was a true story, Patty. The three boys were my grandsons, and the lady was my mother. I embellished some for dramatic effect.
Comment from Janet Foor
A beautiful and heartwarming story in you wonderful Christmas poem. I do believe you and your boys did experience God's greatest gift that Christmas Day.
Blessings and Merry Christmas
Janet
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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A beautiful and heartwarming story in you wonderful Christmas poem. I do believe you and your boys did experience God's greatest gift that Christmas Day.
Blessings and Merry Christmas
Janet
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Thanks, Janet. You are right. My grandsons and I did experience God's greatest gift on that day.
Comment from Rosemary Everson1
What a beautiful poem you wrote about an elderly lady in a nursing home. Working in nursing homes brings the feeling of thoughtfulness at Christmas. Many do not have families that visit them. You sure put a cheer to this lonely lady.
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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What a beautiful poem you wrote about an elderly lady in a nursing home. Working in nursing homes brings the feeling of thoughtfulness at Christmas. Many do not have families that visit them. You sure put a cheer to this lonely lady.
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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That lady was my mother, and the three boys were my grandsons. I embellished some for dramatic effect. Nursing homes can be sad places during Christmas.
Comment from jbrax wilkn
Touching poem of empathy for the lonely old by a group of the young delivering and receiving the spirit of Christmas. Can't help but think about changes brought to scenes such as the one you describe by our current pandemic. Saw a report the other day that over 500,000 seniors in the US have been killed by Covid. Easier to recall, and to mourn, happier days long gone.
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Touching poem of empathy for the lonely old by a group of the young delivering and receiving the spirit of Christmas. Can't help but think about changes brought to scenes such as the one you describe by our current pandemic. Saw a report the other day that over 500,000 seniors in the US have been killed by Covid. Easier to recall, and to mourn, happier days long gone.
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Thanks for the review. Covid has surely changed things. It's hard to determine who to listen to regarding this disease. There are a lot of different opinions on how to deal with it.
Comment from Father Flaps
Hi Paul,
This is absolutely excellent, a wonderful Christmas story poem! I enjoyed it so much. It made me think of Myrtle Vair. She has passed on now, but was once a Girl Guide leader in Grand Bay. She lived in a century-old house next door to the church we attend, Grand Bay Baptist. My wife and I looked after her a bit in her old age. Sometimes I'd have to take a hair dryer to frozen pipes (always at a corner of copper tubing). Or we'd take her to a doctor's appointment. Once, when she had a mini-stroke, we looked after her cat. She was in hospital for about a week. And we didn't know if she'd even survive. But when we learned she'd be released, we decided to make her bed... oh my, the sheets were all torn, and there was dead skin from her feet... a real mess! We just put them in a garbage bag and hunted for new sheets. But we found almost $20,000 packed away in her dresser! We did find some sheets, and made her bed up properly. But what to do with all that money? What if someone broke in? The Chief of police was a member in our church, so we asked him what to do. He told us to count all the money, individually, 2's, 5's,
tens and twenties, 50's, 100's... and then add it up. We put it all in a large zip-lock bag and took it to the police station, where Chief Landers put it in the safe. We dreaded having to tell Myrtle what we did, though. We didn't want her to think we were snooping. But she accepted what we had done. We drove to the police station after picking her up at the hospital to retrieve the cash. She seemed relieved, and tried to give us $100. But we wouldn't accept it.
I think there are many seniors with stories to tell that remain untold. Your mission was a Christian one, and I'm sure it was a welcomed gift.
Good Luck in the contest! This should do very well.
Merry Christmas!
Kimbob
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Hi Paul,
This is absolutely excellent, a wonderful Christmas story poem! I enjoyed it so much. It made me think of Myrtle Vair. She has passed on now, but was once a Girl Guide leader in Grand Bay. She lived in a century-old house next door to the church we attend, Grand Bay Baptist. My wife and I looked after her a bit in her old age. Sometimes I'd have to take a hair dryer to frozen pipes (always at a corner of copper tubing). Or we'd take her to a doctor's appointment. Once, when she had a mini-stroke, we looked after her cat. She was in hospital for about a week. And we didn't know if she'd even survive. But when we learned she'd be released, we decided to make her bed... oh my, the sheets were all torn, and there was dead skin from her feet... a real mess! We just put them in a garbage bag and hunted for new sheets. But we found almost $20,000 packed away in her dresser! We did find some sheets, and made her bed up properly. But what to do with all that money? What if someone broke in? The Chief of police was a member in our church, so we asked him what to do. He told us to count all the money, individually, 2's, 5's,
tens and twenties, 50's, 100's... and then add it up. We put it all in a large zip-lock bag and took it to the police station, where Chief Landers put it in the safe. We dreaded having to tell Myrtle what we did, though. We didn't want her to think we were snooping. But she accepted what we had done. We drove to the police station after picking her up at the hospital to retrieve the cash. She seemed relieved, and tried to give us $100. But we wouldn't accept it.
I think there are many seniors with stories to tell that remain untold. Your mission was a Christian one, and I'm sure it was a welcomed gift.
Good Luck in the contest! This should do very well.
Merry Christmas!
Kimbob
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Thanks, Kimbob. That's quite a story of your own.
Comment from Giddy Nielsen-Sweep
Absolutely beautiful, Paul!! Such a pleasure to read, I found it most enjoyable and read it out to my husband. At Christmas time it does us good to be reminded of why we are here. Visiting the elderly in nursing homes is a fine thing to do as well. Giddy
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Absolutely beautiful, Paul!! Such a pleasure to read, I found it most enjoyable and read it out to my husband. At Christmas time it does us good to be reminded of why we are here. Visiting the elderly in nursing homes is a fine thing to do as well. Giddy
Comment Written 15-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Thanks, Giddy. This is a true story - embellished just a little.
Comment from RShipp
I realize that this is 'fiction'.... but for someone in a nursing home, I am quite sure, this would be such a blessing.
Wonderful.
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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I realize that this is 'fiction'.... but for someone in a nursing home, I am quite sure, this would be such a blessing.
Wonderful.
Comment Written 14-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2021
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Thanks for the review. This is a true story. The boys are my grandsons, and the lady is my mother. I have added some items for dramatic effect.