Smile. Guest post by Dr. Dennis Ortman
SMILE An old friend recently died. I met Jean and her husband 60 years ago at our parish. I was a young seminarian, and they were active parishioners. We often prayed together at church and in their home. The depth of their faith inspired me. They nurtured my vocation. Last week, Jean died at the ripe old age of 102. Regrettably, I had lost contact with Jean and her husband for many years. During that time, her husband, three of her children, and many family and friends had passed away. When I reconnected with Jean two years ago, she was bedridden with severe dementia. Each of our visits followed a ritual. She asked, “Who are you?” I told her my name. She then enquired, “Why are you here?” “To visit you,” I responded. “Why do you want to visit me?” she asked. “Because you are a beautiful person, and I love you,” I said. Then, she smiled. With every visit, I looked forward to that smile. She never failed me. Even in our last visit a month before she died, she could not speak or en