By

Thomas G Richardson

Some where over the rainbow a blue bird flies
Why Oh Why Can't I
Judie Garland

Within every one of us there is a blue bird. It wants to fly over that rainbow. Many things within our lives hold us back. Perhaps we lack inspiration, love, or trust within another human being. Maybe we are held back by blindness, deafness or other disabilities. We may be old and feel noone cares. But every one of us however old or infirm, ugly or deformed has that need to fly over the rainbow. I fly over many rainbows perhaps just perhaps if you let me I can help you fly over yours.

Every time we deny an older person, a disabled person, a person of another race, colour or creed there divine right to fly over the rainbow we are saying they are less than we are. If this is true and that is what you believe or think you will never fly over your rainbow.

Sometime ago an elderly lady of 93 said to me "You know Gordon when they look at me I am 93. But in my head I am a young girl of eighteen. My thoughts are those of a young girl of eighteen. Do you understand?"

"Of course Margot I understand. I am 51 but in my head I am 21 I am an Army Judo Champion I am undefeatable. I understand what you mean. You are flying over the rainbow"

Margot laughed "Do you know you might be right". Margot was the first lady I was privileged to visit as a visitor to the Blind and visually handicapped.

But how many of us do understand. You may age in body, you may become blind, you may be old and infirm but in your head you are always young. Your mind never ages. Even if you are senile it makes no difference. One night I was on duty at a local hospital working as a nurse on the geriatric ward. During the night one of the elderly ladies became disturbed. She was shouting out instructions such as:

"Get them hosses in David. Grab it by the nuts. Ayup hold em David. Where's John. He knows how to hold Galloways. For God sake hold 'em, hold 'em. Get back Get back. The bastards hold them back hold them back. Watch yourself. Hold em! Where the hell is John?"

A nurse on duty with me said, "She is away with the fairies". She said this in the kindest way because she didn’t know what I knew. The lady was a relative of mine. The man she called David was my grandfather, John was his brother. They all came from a family of hawkers and Romanies. Galloway is a Romany term for horses. The old lady had no idea who I was but I knew who she was. I insisted that she be treated with great care so much so that someone remarked "You'd think you were related."

You see that lady was a blue bird. And at that moment "She was flying over her rainbow". She had returned to her youth. She was strong. She was vigorous. She was eighteen perhaps twenty. She was in a stable with some unruly horses. David her brother was there but he was the younger brother and not as versed with horses as John his older brother would have been. Because of patient confidentiality I cannot go any further. Suffice it to say I knew because I asked the right people the right questions.

So the next time you see someone who is old, appears demented, perhaps senile think. Is that person senile or are they just "Flying over their Rainbow". Never stop a Blue Bird. One day you might be that blue bird. Perhaps, just perhaps, you may find your rainbow!

Before befriending butterflies
You have to meet with
Midnight moths