I remember when ....

I remember going to church as a kid every Sunday with my mom. After every service, mom would linger side the church waiting for Mrs. Smith. She was old.
We would walk with Mrs. Smith to the parking lot where she would fumble in her purse for her car keys. Then, we would begin the search for Mrs. Smith's car. She never remembered where she parked it. Once we drove Mrs. Smith home because we never did find her little brown car anywhere in the lot. I'm not sure what ever happened to it but mom figured her family would straighten it out once we got her home.
Years later, just before mom stopped driving, my sister arrived at the house to find mom standing in the driveway, looking bewildered.
"I'm sure I went grocery shopping but I can't find the groceries".
My sister checked the back seat of the car, the trunk....no groceries.
She went inside and checked the fridge. Mom started thinking maybe she'd been
on her way to get the groceries instead of just coming home.
Finally, the bags were found inside the door off the driveway.
We all chuckled about it later....Mom too.
But deep down we know this was not good. I've thought so often in the years since then about Mrs. Smith.....about how my mother always watched out for her after church.
I live a long way from my parents home. My job and my family make it difficult to move back. (am I rationalizing???)
I pray every day that someone like my mom ...the way she took care of Mrs. Smith...is now watching out for her.
They call us the sandwich generation. Those caring for their own families and their elderly parents at the same time.
What do we do when our parents won't take the help of agencies who provide the support they need.
What do we do when we're 300 miles away?