Loneliness can Kill You

This poor old lady named Lucy lived alone. She raised 8 children and loved them very much. She would do anything she could to help them, but one day, before Christmas, she knew her daughter needed money for Christmas, and she wanted to help her. When they chose a company to help them later, they found out that all of them were scammers, and neither she nor her daughter knew. Then the bank told her daughter they were bad. They were very disappointed. The worst thing that ever happened to her mother was for her daughter to turn against her. She was one of 4 girls, and this one was very close. For 5 years, poor Lucy cried. She missed her and hoped and prayed she would come back to her, but no, it never happened. It's been 5 years, and she hasn't come back. Lucy asked herself, "Would her bottle in Heaven be full? If not, it must be a big bottle."

They say you reap what you sow, but poor Lucy could never wish that on her. She thought the world of her. Poor Lucy wondered how she would face each day without her. How lonely it was.

She asked herself, "Is it possible a child could be so cold toward her? Did she have no feelings?"

She never thought she would ever see a child of hers go so long and turn so hard against her. Poor Lucy thought to herself, with the many children she had, why did it seem they all turned their backs on her?

One day, her granddaughter came to visit her. Her name was Bella, and she was 7 years old. It made Lucy very happy, but she still felt lonely without her daughter. She tried not to show her granddaughter how she felt, but one day, Bella heard her grandmother crying in the bathroom.

"Grammy, are you okay?"

"Yes, Honey, I'm okay."

"Why are you crying?" Bella said softly.

"I'm okay. Just thinking how happy I am you are here." She couldn't tell her everything that was on her mind. She didn't want her to think she didn't care for her or that she didn't want her. She was very happy she had her granddaughter with her.

When her Grammy came out of the washroom, Bella looked at her. "Your eyes are red, Grammy. Are you really happy I'm here?"

Her grandmother knelt to talk to her. "Honey, you are my dear granddaughter, and I love you very, very much. When you were born, I fell in love with you. You had red hair and a turned-up nose. You were so sweet, I fell in love with you right away."

"You did?"

"Yes, and I hope you will always love me too."

"I will, Grammy. Forever."

Grammy smiled and kissed her. Her Grammy loved her so much and hoped she would never turn her back on her. Loneliness is hard to handle. Lucy, the old woman, says always love your children, no matter how they treat you. Life is very short, and you never know how soon you will die. It pays to love each other and get along.

After Bella went home, Lucy's home went quiet again. No one called her, or came to visit, or gave her any gifts, no matter what time of year it was.

Time for Lucy just dragged on. Each time Bella came to visit, she was very happy. They would play games, watch T.V. together, and do puzzles. Lucy loved to cook for Bella, and Bella loved mealtime. Lucy would even spend nights sometimes. She had her little pink bedroom of her own. Each time Bella would leave to go home, Lucy held back her tears. She hated being alone. She didn't know if she would ever get used to it, but if her children still ignored her, she would somehow have to try.

It was coming close to Christmas. Everything was white. When Lucy went outside, she had to be careful. She didn't want to fall and hurt herself. Bella would always say, "Be careful, Gram. Don't fall." Lucy would laugh. Lucy got out when she needed to, and Bella's mother would come pick her up to take her Christmas shopping and to the doctors. One day, she went shopping. Bella was her only grandchild, and she bought lots of nice gifts for Bella and some for her mom. She bought her daughter-in-law nice things cause she was nice to her. If her children didn't want to deal with her, then she would buy for her daughter-in-law. She would do anything for Lucy. She and Bella lived alone because after Bella was born, her husband was killed in the army. That was Lucy's only son who ever cared for her. Lucy could never understand why God took him away. He and Bella's mom would never forget Lucy. They did anything for her. Took her anywhere. After he was killed, loneliness took over. She was close to her daughter, but she had been upset with her for 5 years and never came back. The rest of her children didn't have much to do with her, either.

After Christmas was over for another year, Lucy felt bad because Bella and her Mother had to go home. On the way home, Bella asks her mom if her grandmother could move in with them.

"Sure, you are going on 8, so you could stay with her while I worked."

"Yes, Mom. I am so happy. I love Grammy so much."

"I know you do. I love her too."

"We will have lots of fun."

Bella's mom smiled at her, and as they were carrying their gifts into the house, the phone was ringing.

"Hello. No way! What happened?" Tears were running down Bella's mom's cheeks.

"What happened, Mommy?"

Bella's mom hung up the phone slowly. "Bella, I have bad news."

"What, Mommy?"

She told Bella to sit down on the sofa. "After we left Grammy," she paused, "She had a heartache."

"Oh no, Mommy. Noooooo." Bella cried so much that her Mom tried to comfort her. Her Mom heard her cry all night until she fell asleep. Her Mom cried too.

"Don't cry, honey. They tried to do all they could for her, but they couldn't bring her around."

"Oh, Mommy, why? Why oh why?"

Her Mom heard her cry all night until she fell asleep. Her Mom cried too and thought I lost the only man I loved, now my mother-in-law.

At the funeral, it was so sad. Bella couldn't stop crying, and the kids who came couldn't stop crying. But what reason should they cry, Bella thought. They didn't love her.

Bella's Mother thought maybe she died of a broken heart? Loneliness will kill you. Lucy had often told Bella's Mother that, "Loneliness can kill you."