Making Life Transitions Easy

I enter the home to visit for a while.
The patient seems to be sleeping.
I talk to his wife, she is oh so pleasant.
She says she doesn't want weeping.
She said he has lived a very full life,
So his memory she is keeping,
By having a picnic in his honor
So everyone can heart the birds chirping.

The patient awakes and seems to be hungry.
We fix him his lunch and his drink.
He talks of his life and his many rewards
and then he pauses to think.
He looks at his wife of 63 years
And smiles and gives her a wink.
Then relives a time that has long since past
Then takes his plate to the sink.

He wife, she just smiles and leads him to bed
And tucks him in nice and snug.
Then back in the kitchen we sit and we talk
As we sip coffee from mugs
Brought back from one of the places he's been.
And on your heartstrings she tugs
As she tells of how he won HER heart
And sealed their life with a hug.

As I rise to leave this house filled with love,
She says, "When will you come again?
Your presence here has helped us so much.
We couldn't even dare to begin
To tell you how precious you've grown to us both.
And we look forward to your special grin."
When I mention a day, she writes it down.
Then silently lays down the pen.

Now that he's gone, we're still best of friends.
We visit and call on the phone.
Although it's been rough, because he's not here,
She says she doesn't feel alone.
She knows all she needs is to call and I'll come.
She made their house into a home.
If it hadn't been for hospice, we'd never have met.
But because of this we've all won.

Judith Hale
Community Mercy Hospice