One way to say Thank You...

03/04/2016 • View profile

Far away in South America, in a land untouched by the ravages of winter, lives my dearest aunt. My mother's only sister, she never married and was often at our large family home, giving my mother a hand with her numerous offspring. I was one of the youngest, and I remember my aunt’s presence and guidance at many of my childhood milestones. She would come over to help us make birthday cakes, complete chores, finish homework, and more. I will never forget a Mother’s Day speech I was chosen to write and give at school: without her help, I could not have done it! I absolutely adored her, and everyone used to comment on how similar she and I were. We had the same temperament and personality. More than once, she helped dry my tears in her own loving, creative ways. She was an artist and a storyteller, and I spent hours listening to her or watching her work, many times for the sheer pleasure of being in her company.

One of the greatest sorrows in my life is that as a mother and throughout my married life, I was far away from my relatives. I especially missed my dearest aunt who would have been such a beautiful presence in my children’s lives. It was with her that I learned so many things, and I painfully wish my kids could have learned from her as well: the importance of daily prayers, the reading of classic stories, the intelligent conversation over historical events, even the building of a good campfire outside. Hers was the nativity scene I set up here at home every Christmas, and I can never help remembering how her display was so much better than ours is.

During this time of Lent--the weeks of preparation before the celebration of Easter--there is a call for spiritual growth through prayer, fasting, and works of charity. This year I began volunteering through my parish with the elderly in my community. I visit them in two different facilities, I pray the Rosary in one, and stay to chat a while with them; in the other I take Holy Communion every other Sunday. I find myself looking forward to my time with them! I am amazed at how this work has enriched me so far. I love to listen to their life stories, and they love to tell them. Their stories are fascinating. Their worlds were so different from my own, and I enjoy learning about them. Their peaceful and cheerful presence does not betray all they have gone through in life. Their friendships, their achievements and losses, their families and tragic events. We pray together, and their prayer intentions bring to mind their celebrations, sorrows, and hopes. I feel privileged to be a part of it.

When I talk to people about the reasons behind this type of volunteer work, I tell them of my dear aunt. She has been immobile for many years now, and many are the people who volunteer their time to work alongside her, providing care, attention, and love. My own older brother reads to her daily, and parish ministers visit her on Sunday, bringing Communion and prayer. Unfortunately, I am not there to provide any of these services to someone I so dearly love, and am so grateful for. I feel that by doing the same thing here in my community, I am in a way saying “thank you” to all of those volunteers.

If you have never thought of volunteering with the elderly, you may want to consider it. Like me, you just may fall in love with it!

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About the Author

Ana Braga-Henebry

Writing has been a passion since primary school in her native Rio de Janeiro, where Ana grew up the seventh of a noisy, large, and happy Catholic family. She graduated with an Art degree from a small Catholic college and came to the USA to pursue graduate work, when she met her husband Geoff, now a university professor and international scientist. Their seven children range from 14 to 28 years old and as they grow into adulthood they enjoy activities like sending their parents postcards from all the continents of the world, including a recent sent from the single Post Office in Antarctica! As a mother at home, embracing Catholic family life centered on both faith and academics, Ana have been active in myriad ways as she watched her children grow in virtue and in excellence. They have grown to be Geography experts, piano and voice virtuosi, young successful professionals, dedicated teachers, classical language scholars and budding artists.

During her homeschooling career of over twenty years, she has always been very involved in local homeschool groups, teaching Art, Geography, History, and Latin to small groups among other things. She taught NFP and has written Catholic plays for children, as well as articles and features for Catholic periodicals. Ana is the author of the Catholic Textbook Project workbooks, and wrote the chapter on Geography in the the book "Why Should I Learn This?" (edited by Maureen Wittman, 2015) She has been a book reviewer for 20+ years for various sites including Love2Learn and Amazon.com. In just about every place they have lived (and there were many of them!), Ana has led book clubs for women. An occasional poet, Ana was recently awarded a national poetry prize from the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

With the two youngest now quite self-propelled as part-time homeschoolers, Ana is beginning to look into ways to become more involved in her parish and community. She has a few writing projects in the back burner... and a supportive husband who wants to read her stuff. She thanks God for a life filled with adventure and fulfillment, and continues asking everyday for His guidance and His blessing.

Ana can be reached at anabragahenebry@gmail.com

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