There’s an elderly couple in our development. We often see them walking. She with a walker and he cautiously walking beside her.
The thing that set them apart was that they never seemed friendly. No smiles. No reciprocal greeting.
Recently, there had been activity at their home. Ambulance. And the woman is not around.
I met him at the recycling bin and, despite my prejudgment about him not being friendly, I ventured and asked how he was doing - noting that I was aware of some of the activity at their home.
His faint smile revealed a welcome to my inquiry. And he explained that his wife - who has Parkinson’s - recently fell and had a hip fracture and was now in rehab.
He then expanded on my initial question…..
“They want us to move into an Assisted Living facility and I don’t want to move.”
I wondered whether he had shared that with anyone else. His expression said that he had not.
We spoke. He thanked me.
As I walked away, I reminded myself that everyone has a universe and not to judge……