Originally written on January 18, 2008--(Accidentally erased in early September)
I met her briefly when I first bought my house. At the time, she just seemed like another elderly lady who lived alone and was kind of eccentric in her own little ways. I figured she would never understand or get along with the likes of me, so didn't try too hard to get further acquainted with her. But part of me really wished I could get to know her anyway...
Then came the ice storm in early December 2007. Along with the ice storm came the power outages and as I sat in my house in the cold darkness, I began to wonder and worry about my elderly neighbor lady next door. At least I had a wood burning fireplace. What if she was over there with no source of heat at all?
So, off I go, traipsing across the frozen grass--cringing as each step crunched under my feet. I felt saddened to look around at all the trees on our street that were laden with ice. My neighbor's tree had already dropped a huge chunk of a limb. I shook my head in sadness, then turned back to my "mission" and knocked on my neighbor's door.
It took a few minutes, but she finally made it to the door wrapped in a blanket. She opens the door, "Why hello there, come on in!" she greets me warmly. I walk into her home and could smell the foul odor of kerosene--she was burning two kerosene lamps so she had light--ugh--the smell made me a little sick and I worried that it wasn't good for Willa to be sitting in this cold house breathing those fumes. I manage to talk her into coming over to my place and hanging out with me--we turned out her kerosene lamps and brought over her big flashlight and her medications (she's diabetic) and we slowly made the distance of our yards back over to my place.
I had the fire going and it was doing quite well and put off a good amount of light and heat. We sat there in front of the fire and chatted and got to know one another. I loved hearing stories about her life--she's 86 years young and has lived through a lot of changes. Willa has survived the death of her daughter many years ago--a tragic accident took her daughter's young life at the age of 25--leaving behind two little boys. Willa played a huge role in shaping her grandson's lives and I know that they must think the world of this strong, caring woman. When Willa was only in her 40's, she lost her husband of many years to cancer and found herself alone and on her own. She had been dabbling in the real estate business while her husband was alive, but now it became a necessitated career and apparently she did quite well at it.
Since that day in early December when the power was out, I have come to know and love Willa quite dearly. She is a wonderful lady and full of life--though like most people her age, she hates that her body is not as cooperative as it once was. Still she is someone that I cherish and truly am blessed to have in my life and always I will be thankful that the power was off that cold December day. Losing the power gave me the power to get acquainted with this fascinating and very nice, caring woman who still has so much to share with me and the rest of the world.
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An Update On My Beloved Willa--September 28, 2008
These last several months Willa has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and it has been a very painful ordeal for all those who love her so dearly. Watching this vibrant, fun woman deteriorate before our very eyes has been a torment that is so very hard to convey--but the beauty is that every now and then, the Willa we all know and love comes through and even though it's just for a few brief moments--it does my heart good to get those glimpses.
All too soon Willa will have to leave with her son to go live in Florida. One of her grandson's and his sweet family lives there. Her son is also planning on retiring there in the near future--so it makes sense that they move her to be closer to her relatives. Hopefully they will be able to find her a very nice assisted living center and make sure that she is in very good hands. My sweet Willa truly does need round the clock care, as she has lost her ability to remember the important details of her life such as remembering to take her insulin injections on time, remembering her pills, remembering to check her sugar levels, remembering to eat sometimes...
But as I said, now and then our true Willa surfaces and when that keen sense of humor of hers kicks in and she's smiling and feeling mischievous.
My sisters and one of my nieces and my sweet cousin, Susie and I all got together the other night. Susie set up her karaoke machine and we were having a great time with it and then Susie had to leave with her oldest daughter for a bit and when she came back she said that Willa was sitting outside on her front porch. We went over there and Willa sure enough was sitting outside with two of her great grandchildren and then another little one appeared. We brought them over to my house to join us in singing for a bit. Willa wasn't real sure she wanted to do this, but then, I wasn't giving her much of a choice...
Once there, she sits on the couch and her sweet little 11 year old grand daughter doesn't hesitate too long before she takes over with the "mike" and starts singing to some of the tunes that Susie is playing on her machine. Willa was loving it and enjoying it so much that she asked me to run over to her house and tell her son and her grandson (the children's dad) to come over and hear this. So I went to get them and they stayed for a bit and listened to this little girl with her sweet melodic voice and Willa was smiling and enjoying herself. We ended the evening with a couple of fun songs, "Zipadee doo da and Zipadee day" and also "Supercalfragilistic" and Willa actually sang along with us and looked as though she were having a great time.
I walked Willa and her grand kids back to her house next door and as we walked, our arms around one another's waist, Willa told me, "Well, Sugar, that sure was a fun party!" I don't know if she will remember it for long, but hearing those words brought tears of joy to my eyes and I hugged her and told her that I loved her as she went back into her house.
I do love my Willa. Please, dear angels, dear spirit guides, dear Universe, help my Willa and all those in her sweet family to get through this and please guide each of them and touch their hearts to be kind and understanding of this woman who I know we all love so very dearly.
Please, Willa, please, please try to remember me just a little. You have been a joy in my life and I am so thankful for your friendship and warmth and kindness. Having you to confide in, to share my hopes, my fears, my crazy life with has helped me so very much and I truly appreciate each moment that we were able to share. Always, my dear Willa, you are in my heart and always, you and those in your family are in my prayers. God Bless...
