There is an elderly couple in our neighborhood that is in the process of transitioning to a nursing home due to a recent series of health issues. In the meantime, their son has been spending a lot of time taking care of many of their household chores. He can be seen pulling into their driveway carrying a load of clean clothes into the house, retrieving their mail, etc. He always looks burdened & in a hurry, obviously trying to fit his caregiving duties between his work schedule & time with his wife & kids.
One day as he walked to the mailbox with his head down & his face tight in thought I called out to him, “Is there any way we can help you?” He stopped, walked closer & said, “Excuse me, what did you say?” He looked tense. “I said, is there anything we can do to help you? It must be difficult to have so many responsibilities on your shoulders.” His countenance changed, he relaxed & said, “Oh, no thank you, we’re doing fine.” Since then he’s like my new best bud. Love is a powerful force: it can turn strangers into friends, grumps into humans.