Almost a week ago Nadine and I were up in Colorado Springs bringing my mom back to her Assisted living home.  She had been gone from her apartment for around three weeks because of a fall in which she broke her hip.  The hip was replaced and rehab at the hospital had concluded and she was being brought back to her place of residence to resume her daily activities.

We were going to leave to go back to Scottsdale, but we wanted to make sure she felt comfortable back in her home.  I wheeled her in with her wheel chair to her apartment and decided to go down to the main living area to get her mail.  One of the full-time workers stopped me and said, “I am so happy your Mom is back with us.  I do nails every Friday for anyone who wants their nails painted and I know that your mom is tired.  I would love to come up to her apartment and do them for her.  She is such a sweet lady.”

I told her I would ask Mom if that was okay and did so.  Mom was surprised that someone would want to do that, and said she could if she wanted to.  About 30 minutes later, Nicole knocked on the door and proceeded to take her wares of polish remover, finger nail polish, and quick drying spray out of her suitcase.  It was fascinating for me to hear the conversation of shades of pink that Mom did or didn’t like.  Pink sparkle.  Red sparkle.   Glistening pink.  Rainbow yellow.  Midnight black.  You name it she had it.  They finally settled on the pink sparkle and the work began.  Off came the old and on went the new.  The finishing touch was the quick drying spray and the nails were done.

My mom on her homecoming had her nails done.  For those who have kept reading, this was a big deal for me.  I don’t remember my mom ever getting her nails done and at 98, she was sitting there quietly with her hands out while the stylist carefully put the new do on.  After living almost a century, she deserves the beautifying things in life.  She loved the finished product, and I loved seeing her smile and showing off her pink sparkle nails.

On this journey, sometimes the simple pleasures of having your nails painted can mean the world to those who deprived themselves for decades.  Maybe it would be good for all of us to identify what brings joy and splurge a little.