Sep 2017
IT IS AT ONCE
( for Monica )
It is at once
nothing and everything.
A simple incident
on meeting.
"Your shoelace is open
Mr. Dempsey."
she tells him in case he
shoud fall or stumble.
"I know that love
but I can't get down to it."
So, Monica Sweeney
kneels and ties
my father's undone shoelace.
This simple act of compassion
and respect for his age
achieves for him
almost Biblical proportions.
It's almost insignificance
a tiny treasure."
"It was like being Christ..."
he will tell me after as
only he could tell it
each telling bringing tears.
"...having his feet dried
by Mary Magdalene's hair."
Even in his dying
he will recall it
" that lady helped me
whenI couldn't help myself
she was kindness itself"
It was at once
everything and nothing
( for Monica )
It is at once
nothing and everything.
A simple incident
on meeting.
"Your shoelace is open
Mr. Dempsey."
she tells him in case he
shoud fall or stumble.
"I know that love
but I can't get down to it."
So, Monica Sweeney
kneels and ties
my father's undone shoelace.
This simple act of compassion
and respect for his age
achieves for him
almost Biblical proportions.
It's almost insignificance
a tiny treasure."
"It was like being Christ..."
he will tell me after as
only he could tell it
each telling bringing tears.
"...having his feet dried
by Mary Magdalene's hair."
Even in his dying
he will recall it
" that lady helped me
whenI couldn't help myself
she was kindness itself"
It was at once
everything and nothing
***
My Uncle Seanie came in from the farm after working from morning to night. He was a big strong man but he was a tired and weary big strong man. His feet were aching he told me so I got a basin of hot water and washed his feet and dried them for him. I was only a young boy and my Da was touched by this act of compassion and kindness. He told me that the Biblical story of Mary washing Christ's feet and drying them in her hair always made him cry for the tenderness and respect she showed him.
And so many many years later when Monica Sweeney is prepared to kneel and tie his shoelace for him....all these times and stories come together. He never ever ever forgets her kindness and would always quote the Dala Lama's words "...the only true religion is kindness." When he was dying and I would come into hospital he would ask after Gerry and his wife and when Monica's name was mentioned he would always remember her as "the lady who helped me when I couldn't help myself...she was kindness itself."
My Uncle Seanie came in from the farm after working from morning to night. He was a big strong man but he was a tired and weary big strong man. His feet were aching he told me so I got a basin of hot water and washed his feet and dried them for him. I was only a young boy and my Da was touched by this act of compassion and kindness. He told me that the Biblical story of Mary washing Christ's feet and drying them in her hair always made him cry for the tenderness and respect she showed him.
And so many many years later when Monica Sweeney is prepared to kneel and tie his shoelace for him....all these times and stories come together. He never ever ever forgets her kindness and would always quote the Dala Lama's words "...the only true religion is kindness." When he was dying and I would come into hospital he would ask after Gerry and his wife and when Monica's name was mentioned he would always remember her as "the lady who helped me when I couldn't help myself...she was kindness itself."
(Guildford)
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