They always say that friends come and go.
You might not always keep the same ones, but youโll be making new ones before you know it.
But thatโs pretty easy when youโre a youngster. For seniors, itโs a whole different story.
This old lady desperately wanted friends but felt like time was running out.
Itโs 90-year-old Wanda whom this story is about.
The elder resident of California was suffering from intense loneliness. So much so that she reached out to nearby people for friendship.
Marleen Brooks came home one day to a note left by the elderly woman asking for friends.
The yellow piece of paper had an emotional message written with the simplest of handwriting.
โWould you consider to become my friend. Iโm 90 years old- live alone. All my friends have passed away. Iโm so lonesome and scared. Please I pray for someone.โ
This broke Marleenโs heart. She just had to see who this lady was.
Marleen and her best friend paid the woman a visit.
This may have been the first time in ages that Wanda had company over.
There, they brought cupcakes and got to know each other.
At her age, Wanda had a lot to talk about. 90 years is a long time, and Wanda had so many experiences to share.
Itโs not hard to see why Wanda was so desperate for friends.
Her family doesnโt see her anymore and sheโs got a host of health issues to deal with on top of it all.
She has a heart condition and needs oxygen all the time.
With that many battles to fight all the time, having friends can really make it a lot easier.
In fact, loneliness can hurt a lot more than most illnesses.
Most U.S. citizens over the age of 60 live with a partner or a relative.
Those that live alone are in the minority of 27%. Evidently, Wanda belongs to that second group.
Indeed, Wanda had already lost one son to cancer.
The surviving two donโt live close to her at all. You canโt blame her for being as depressed as she was.
The feeling of waking up and reliving the same, lonely day every day would break just about anyone.
Itโs a feeling that slowly eats away at you. Youโll catch yourself wondering if lifeโs worth living if it means more of this.
It hurts enough when youโre young. But when youโre a senior and watched several of your friends pass away already, itโs a whole different story.
But thanks to Marleen, Wanda doesnโt have to feel that way anymore.
The two had a wonderful time at Wandaโs home.
โSheโs such a sweet lady! And she was over the moon when we came over.โ โ said Marleen
Moments like this show how much we take friends and company for granted.
A simple phone call or shared coffee with someone can go a really long way.
Now, Marleen keeps in touch with Wanda and visits her regularly.
She lets Wanda call her if she ever needs anything, which makes all of us incredibly happy.
Huge props to Marleen and her best friend for giving Wanda a reason to get up in the morning now.
If you know someone whoโs spending a bit too long by themselves, give them a call.
It could mean the world to them!
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