Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

234The session draws towards a conclusion. Henrietta motions for me tofollow her back to her room some distance away. I follow, wondering what’sbehind the invitation.We arrive at her gloriously cluttered little room and she invites me to siton the edge of her bed. She places before me a book of news clippings andpersonal typed commentary that point to events, people and places that have beena part of her life in her far more active years prior to her strokes. The clippingsand commentaries take me to faraway places like North America and Fiji, toformer careers and callings such as teacher and writer. I see photos of family,colleagues and companions. She points to short stories that detail specific eventsfrom her pre-institutional, pre-impaired life. She wants me to read them.I look up from these stories and she points me somewhat knowinglytowards a large photo of a past pope, and to a nearby painting signed by herself,showing Jesus at the Last Supper. I turn to the opposite wall to observe a framededucation degree, as well as a large certificate of appreciation from NorthAmerica hanging above a large beautifully hand-crafted fruit bowl, with a plaquedenoting best wishes from Fijian friends.I sit with Henrietta a little longer in this place that for me, at least for themoment, has become less like her little room and more like the gallery of her life.I motion to leave, thanking Henrietta for the privilege of being offered such aninsight into her rich life. She replies with a pleased nod and that knowing grunt.Reflection and AnalysisAs I leave her room I remind myself how until this day I have largelycontained Henrietta to what I have seen of her in the present moment, thissignificantly-impaired lady who likes to slowly thumb through magazines in thecraft room. I have observed a frail older woman losing her pallor and physicalcapacities. I have largely defined her intellectual capacity by the content of themagazines she flicks through. I have tended to regard the physical distancebetween herself and others in the craft room as evidence of a certain aloofness.But I realize now that I have been observing and judging her on the basisof the tip of the iceberg; various of my observations have been superficial, andmost of my judgements have either been limiting or completely wrong. Todayshe took me beneath the surface. She revealed parts of her lifetime of which sheis clearly and justifiably proud, which continue to sustain her despite the