Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: JOY (10/28/21)
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TITLE: Yo-J | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jane H. Young
11/01/21 -
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Every so often in life you meet that person, you know the one you just want to hang around because they are so happy. Here’s my story of just that person.
My mom was in a nursing home, and I was there for a visit. The nurses came in to my moms room to announce there would be a special guest coming to the Christmas party that afternoon.They ask if I wanted stay and celebrate with everyone so I stayed.
My mom got so excited and wanted to get dressed right away. She pointed to her beautiful red Christmas sweater, as she clapped her hands with excitement.
“Mom, have you met this person before” I asked. She motioned toward her dresser, there were several pictures of her and someone I had never seen before.
She looked so happy in those pictures I hardly recognized her. Is this the special guest that you are so excited about. She looked at me and gave me the biggest smile I had seen in a long time. She almost looked like her old self before she had the stroke.
I worked a lot and couldn’t visit as often as I would like to or should do. It bothered me a little to think she was so excited about a person she hardly knew. She never had that same reaction when I showed up. I was getting curious to meet this person that could make my mom light up with such joy.
Everyone had gathered in the large room around the Christmas Tree. They were all dressed in cheerful Christmas colors and waiting with anticipation for their special guest. There was such excitement in the room I could hardly wait myself, to meet the guest.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw children coming down the hall, they started to sing Christmas carols as they entered the room, they all had their arms full of Christmas gifts. A few seconds later in came 2 clowns waving and smiling as they sang along with the children. I recognized the one from my mines pictures. Everyone started clapping, they were so thrilled to see their guest.
The excitement in that room was so amazing. I can’t remember when I last saw my mom so happy. The children started passing out presents to each patient, they were like children themselves receiving the gifts. It was things like new socks, lotion, candy, even coloring books.
My heart was filled with joy watching what was taking place here, in what normally seemed to be such a solemn sad place.
A feeling of guilt covered my whole being. I come here dreading every minute and these perfect strangers come with love and caring. How selfish I had been, after all my mom was the one that was hurting, lonely and sad. My main concerned had been for me and how inconvenient it was for me to give up a few hours of my time to come see my mom.
Then one of the clowns came over to my mom, gave her a big hug and a smile and took a picture with her. There was that big smile again just like the ones in the pictures on her dresser. I noticed the name Yo-J on the clown as he reached over to give mom her Polaroid picture of them.
It was a great day for all at the nursing home,
joyfulness had overruled the sadness in this place.
After all the patients had been taken to the dining room for cookies and punch, I went over to the clowns and introduced myself. How do y’all do this, come in here and bring such happiness to perfect strangers.
“We give to them what has been given to us. Love and joy from God. We bring the children that want to come, to teach them giving, not only material gifts but love from their hearts” Yo-j explained. I was a little curious about his name so I ask him what it meant. “Well we wanted to have names, so after some thought about what my purpose was in starting this clown ministry I realized it was to put a little joy in people’s lives—those that had lost theirs. So I came up with Yo-J which is Joy spelled backwards.
That day now 20 years ago, God changed my life forever. Yo-J and I became best friends and 1 year later we were Mr & Mrs.
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