Singing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

--John Newton, "Amazing Grace"


I'm not sure I had ever sung all the verses of "Amazing Grace" before today.  My new hospice patient, who is 95+, was sad and lonely, and so the visiting chaplain and I began to sing.  When we finished, there were tears in our patient's eyes and later she said she'd like more singing.  Thankfully, I'd recently reviewed our family canon so I could come up with some songs--"You are My Sunshine," "Water is Wide."  I'll be even more prepared next time.

Most of the books I've read about hospice talk about how dying is so similar a state to babyhood, in that you are often completely dependent on your caregivers for food, hygiene, comfort, and relatively oblivious to the world beyond your immediate space (i.e. world events and such); many also want company, presence, reassurance, a human voice.  But unlike babies who are touched and talked to, elderly terminally-ill patients are often not coddled in this way. Singing today reminded me of singing to Sis and Bud when they were little; the songs were even the same.  I look forward to going back to visit my patient again soon.