Under the Jasmine Tree

Liliia often visits an elderly home in Ragozov, bringing tea, bread, sausages, sweets, and other food items, books, medicine, glasses, or whatever else is needed that she can find. She visits with the people there to talk with them, hear their stories, read to them, and sometimes wash their wounds or cut their hair. This so called hospital is in dismal condition. The people living there are there because they don't have somewhere else they can go. Liliia told me once on the way to Ragozov that these people are orphans, too. I think about that every time I visit with her.

When I do go along with Liliia I often feel overwhelmed and don't know how to be helpful. The last two times I went with her she had the idea for me to take Oleg outside for some fresh air while she visited with the remaining patients. Oleg can't walk and usually must spend the whole day in bed. Liliia found a wheelchair and we brought him outside for a stroll in the sun. After our walk we parked Oleg's wheelchair under a jasmine tree, and Liliia suggested I sit with him for the rest of our visit. I was happy to have something I could do, but I was tense and anxious the first few minutes, trying to do something withe the time. I quickly ran out of questions and comments I could share with Oleg in Ukrainian and we both fell into silence.

There we were, sitting side-by-side and yet universes apart. And yet, were we? I don't know how to describe it, but it was beautiful to sit there even in silence and just be together. We couldn't do anything for each other, but we could be there together, enjoying colors, flowers, clouds, chickens, sunlight, a gentle breeze.