Where’s Grandma?

“Have you heard from Grandma?”

“No. I haven’t talked to her in months.”

“Humph. Okay. So, where do want to go for lunch?”

Is lunch more important that Grandma? Apparently so, for some.

I read a story recently about a 70 year old woman who was found in her home a year after she died. Apparently, she was found by her brother-in-law who claimed that he and the woman’s sister had not seen her in a long time. A long time – more accurately, a year.

Another story from 2011 spoke of a woman in Australia who was found in her home several years after her death. She was last seen in 2003 when she and her sister-in-law had a fight. They never spoke again.

It is terribly disturbing and sad that a person can go so long without being missed. How can this be?

The women mentioned above may not have had many family members or friends. However, I would like to think that someone would at least care enough to check on them. But, obviously that didn’t happen until it was far too late.

It is heartbreaking to know that there are people living every day of their life completely alone. In some cases, I’m sure that they are primarily the ones at fault. Over the course of a lifetime, it is easy to make others not like you through your actions or your words. I get this. It happens. Case in point – the story of the lady in Australia.

In fact, I know someone who has successfully chased all but one of her children away,  by being overbearing. She has tried to rule every aspect of their life and her way is “the only and best way”. I can see how that would cause a rift between her and her children. Perhaps that’s what happened with the women above.

However, that leads me to two questions.

First: How can people go so many years holding onto a grudge, to the point of not even acknowledging the existence of someone? Especially a parent. Why can’t they forgive? Forgiveness doesn’t mean to accept what someone has done to you. It simply means that you let it go and no longer allow that situation to rule your life.

Second: If someone notices that by and by everyone they know is trying to avoid them, shouldn’t that tell them something? Obviously, it’s them with the problem. Why then, wouldn’t they work to change their ways?

I don’t believe anyone wants to be alone, regardless of who they are. Everyone needs someone. But, in order for us to have friends, we must be friendly. We must be positive, loving and genuinely care for others. Our job as a friend is to pick people up, not throw them to the ground.

It’s all very simple really – be a friend and you’ll have friends.

Lesson: When I die, (hopefully many years from now) it sure would be nice to have someone notice, and it’s my job to make sure I’m someone worth noticing.