I still remember once when I was visiting the forgotten elderly at a local hospice, there was this elderly lady covered completely in a blanket on her bed except her arm, she was laying crunched up on her side. The volunteer groupI was with, quickly left her room thinking she was asleep but I lingered there and some worker looked in and told me that everyone leaves her alone because she doesn’t speak being in pain all the time. I didn’t know what to do as she gave a moan every so often. So I reached out quietly and held her bony, bruised hand gently in mine. It was all I could do, all I could offer her for comfort as I tried to hold back my tears. I stayed like that for a while and the lady got quiet. I didn’t even know her name. Sadly I had to leave after a few minutes as the head of the volunteer group came in looking for me. She smiled at me because she understood what I was doing and later outside she told me that the lady had also been abused and robbed by a staff member who took her only possession her wedding band. I always remember that day and regret that I couldn’t keep up the volunteer time, my personal life got real busy then, working late hours etc. So when someone I know is sick and in pain and I can’t be with them in person I hold their hand in my heart, besides remembering them in prayer of course.