A young woman Marleen Brooks has received a letter from her neighbor – she was 90 years old and was living in the neighborhood for 50 years not knowing anyone nearby, as all of her friends have already passed away, just as her son. That’s why she wrote to Marleen, who came to Wanda’s place with her friend to make her life so much brighter.
This is the note that Marleen Brooks came home to. It says:
“Would you consider to become my friend. I’m 90 years old – live alone. All my friends have passed away. I’m so lonesome and scared. Please -I pray for someone.”
Fuck, doesn’t that just get you in the feels.
It’s almost as bad as this:
In any case, Marleen wasn’t going to let this letter go unanswered. She shared the letter with anchor Frank Somerville from the local KTVU station, who posted it on his Facebook, where it got shared an number of times.
Then she made a plan to make a new friend.
Marleen went out to grab some cupcakes and went down the street that evening to introduce herself. She brought along her best friend so that Wanda could meet two new people.
She wrote again to Somerville after her impromptu friend-making party, to tell him how it went. He shared her update Facebook, and it puts a hell of a lot of warmth into my heart.
Like a lot – like ET’s glowing chest warmth.
Can you imagine living in one place for over 50 years and not knowing anybody? I can’t. That’s too long to be alone, without anyone to talk to or to keep you company.
Especially when you have the ailments that Wanda has. I can’t imagine being in her position.
We all need some compassion and kudos to Wanda for reaching out and asking for what she absolutely deserves.
There are so many people out there, looking for someone to put a smile on their face, and just because they’re older, doesn’t mean that they don’t have anything to offer. There’s numerous reports about the elderly in our communities that feel left out or lack social interactions and can’t bring themselves, or aren’t mobile enough, to go out and do something about it. Without social connections, they will wither away.
We just need to reach out to everyone around us and just say hi. It’s a start and who knows where it’s going to lead.
Look what it did for Wanda.
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