Compassion is a child

My co-father-in-law ... my daughter's father-in-law ... has Altzheimer's. He has become increasingly affected by it, since this is approximately his 10th year into the disease. We went to church together for the better part of two decades, watched our children grow up together, said our "what ifs" about my daughter and his son marrying (but don't tell the kids), and then celebrated together when they did marry seven years out of highschool and after going their separate ways (geographically) for all those years.

And then the onset and confirmation of Altzheimer's ... just about the time we should have been co-grandfathering he was hustled down a different path. He still enjoys his grands, but it hasn't been the rolling in the floor, let me teach you how to fish, kind of enjoyment.

We visited him today. He is wasting and limited in his ability to acknowledge that he knows you, and unable to talk ... he always had the appropriate observation and comment on the situation at hand ... but, no more.

I frankly do not know how best to deal with this ... it certainly is not about me, but I feel somewhat awkward.

Then I watched our 5 year old grandson naturally and effortlessly deal with his Papaw. He smiled and stroked his Papaw's hair ... lovingly held his hand, and kissed him.

Compassion is a child who already knows the God connection we all have and sees his Papaw with a grace that is unfeigned. Compassion is a child who loves his grandfather without having been showered by that man with all the expressions of love Papaw would have wanted to give. Compassion is a child that teaches ... may we be sensitive to learn.