Slowly Leaving

Yesterday I visited dear Anna at the old people's home in M. With her 93 years, Anna is very tired. She mainly just lies on her bed, dozing away most of the time. It was one of those days when she doesn't want to speak, so when she was awake she might indicate something with her thin, soft hand but otherwise she'd just lie there and smile. Sleep and smile.
I sat next to her for a couple of hours, holding her hand, talking about  this and that when she was awake, but mainly I just sat there. Luckily I had brought some needlework, not to fall asleep myself!
Even if sleeping most of the time, I think Anna enjoys these visits. I hope she feels my love and gratitude, which I try to convey with little gestures as seing to it that she is well covered upp in her blanket, trying to get her to drink some juice, adjusting her pillow, or just hugging her and caressing her cheek.
As so often I think: "this is also a way to leave life; slowly, slowly, day by day, breath by breath". Who knows for how long we will still have Anna around? Dear Anna, the woman who mainly lived for others; for God, for all her patients as medical doctor, for her son and grandchildren? We all owe her so much, and I hope she can feel our deep thankfulness and love.