Just a perfect day
- Jane
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
21/12/25
Four weeks ago mum caught pneumonia. Her breathing was raspy, and I was sure it was her last days.
How long can a very old lady go on without eating and barely drinking? She would take a few zips of apple juice, maybe some sweetened tea. No food. No slice of bread cut into nine tiny squares and smeared with butter, honey and peanut butter. No soft egg. Not even a few spoonfuls of chicken soup. Her tummy was shrinking.
Mum was going downhill. The GP had arranged palliative care medication.
So Gil and Jimena decided to stay with us for shabbat and spend solid time with mum, who lives just across the road.
And so it was -- a beautiful, gentle day. From morning till evening they sat with her, helping her drink, stroking her head, holding her hand, reading to her.
At one point mum opened her eyes, fully alert. She was thrilled to see Gil but confused about Jimena.
Who is this young woman? she seemed to wonder. Her eyes moved from one to the other, and then the penny dropped: Jimena and Gil were girlfriend and boyfriend!
Just to be sure, I wrote it down on a piece of paper:
‘This nice girl is Gil’s girlfriend.’
Mum was pleased. In a muffled but clear enough voice, she said:
‘How lucky I am.’ Then she added: How lucky we are ‘.
She meant how lucky we --Â her family -- were to be there together.
And she was right.
