THE QUESTION

Sign from the Great Hereafter?  Think so!

Interviewing a potential IT support pro yesterday, mentioned that a key part of my interaction with olders is hands-on internet access support, like I did with my mother.  An unexpected smile broke out on the young man's face as he said, "Your Mom answered a question of mine that still makes a difference in my marriage." 

Did my jaw drop or did it just feel like it did? 

Because I immediately knew what he'd asked - it was THE QUESTION.

When Mom was released from the hospital to come home for hospice care, we were warned by her physician that she would likely be subject to bouts of deep depression.  In reality, they only hit once - midway through that last week.  All through Thursday morning, she was blue bleak despondent.  Nothing lifted her out of darkness - not singing her favorite songs & hymns, not reading from Scripture, not talking about Dad.  My last  hope was asking if she wanted me to check e-mail to see if there where any questions from the Psych class at the local college.  "Yeah, okay," was her flat response.

Nipping next door to the computer studio, I opened her e-mail & sure enough - there were a couple, including THE QUESTION.  "What advice would you give someone who felt he'd met the love of his life?" 

As soon as she heard it, Mom's eyes lit up, melancholy dropped away, any tinge of sadness banished by her radiant smile.  Her response, shared with me for reply & held in my heart to this day:  "No matter how funny it might seem to you in the moment, never make your spouse the butt of a joke.  And forget the claim that  bad fights lead to great make-ups ~ ~ no matter how sorry you are for what was said in the heat of anger, every hurtful, cutting word always leaves a scar." 

While I always remembered that THE QUESTION came from a South American (we'd noticed that questions from USA students focused on death & dying;  ones from other nationalities focused on life & living), had NO recollection it was Brazilian Calebe who asked it.  

How could I not hire someone who clearly comes with Mom's stamp of approval?!

Is there power in olders sharing life wisdom, however minor it might seem?  Is there value in them posting thoughts, experiences, memories on the internet?  If you doubt, just remember THE QUESTION and the answer that still touches at least one young man's life & love.