Being old and getting older is a tough realization for many. As the years go by and we reach retirement, the last thing we want is to be alone. This is why it is so important not to forget our parents and grandparents, especially those in nursing homes. This story, which was inspired by the readers at AmoMama, is about a woman who reached this old age and was forgotten.
Getting Older
Melanie was getting on in life. She had just turned 72 and finally realized and accepted that living all alone was not the best idea. Recently, she had a slip and fell in the bathroom, which left her needing hip and knee surgery. The scariest part was that she had been lying on the bathroom floor for hours because she had no cell phone, she was found by neighbors who got worried when they did not see her gardening as usual.
While in the hospital, her one and only son, Markus, had come to see her. He told her that she could no longer live alone and that they would need to do something about it. Melanie assumed she would be given the empty cottage in her sons garden and at least be able to live out her days with her grandchildren, but Markus had no such intention.
Time to Move
Melanie was sad, why could she not just go stay with her son? He claimed that he and his wife needed their privacy, and now that the children were older, they did not need grandma around all the time. Markus informed his mother that she was to sell her home and move into an assisted living facility. He ensured her that because the facility was nearby, he would visit her often.
Not long and her house was sold, Melanie moved into the facility. She had her own little apartment, but it was so quiet and Melanie often felt very lonely. She missed her garden and her friendly neighbors.
Markus visited Melanie a grand total of 4 times in her first 3 months of living there. After that, he never came again. She never got to see her grandchildren, either. Markus claimed to always be very busy.
Meeting Greg
One day while Melanie was sitting in the common room having some tea, she heard a young friendly voice. The man said hello to her and sat next to her. Surprised, Melanie asked him who his parents were. He explained that his parents had both passed on a few years ago, but that he enjoyed coming to chat with the people who lived at the facility. His name was Greg.
Melanie laughed and said she wished her child felt that way and told him that she would love to see her grandchildren. Greg chatted to her for over an hour, asking her all sorts of questions. They laughed and Melanie even had a little cry as she thought back on her life.
Greg asked Melanie what she missed most, and she told him she missed her garden. That afternoon, Greg got permission to take Melanie out to a beautiful garden for a walk. It was her first time in 5 months leaving the home.
Years Go By
It had been four years now, and Melanie had barely seen her own son. Greg, however, was almost always around. She had grown to love him and felt like he was her own child. They go on little day trips to fun places and Melanie was no longer so lonely.
One day, Melanie did not wake up. She had passed on. Her son and his family cried at the funeral but did not seem too bothered to hang around for long. Greg was there too, and Markus had no idea who he was, nor did he care.
The Lawyer
A few days had passed by since Melanie’s funeral. Her son was called into her lawyer’s office. There too, was Greg. Markus recognized him from the funeral. He asked what he was doing there, to which Greg replied he did not know.
The two men sat in front of the lawyer as he told Markus nothing was left to him. Greg was left Melanie’s entire estate, and it was worth a pretty penny! Markus was furious as the lawyer read out a letter to them both, explaining why she had done what she did. In her letter, she confessed how dearly she loved Greg, and thanked him for the years of care and taking her places. She also let Markus know that while she loved him, she could not leave him anything. He had visited her only 5 times in her 4 years at the home.
What you can learn from this story is that our parents and grandparents are important and should never be taken for granted. We should not be kind because we expect anything in return, but at the same time, how can we expect anything if we are not kind.
This story was inspired by an original piece of fiction that first appeared on AmoMama. Any similarities between this story and actual people is purely coincidental.
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