According to Vivek Murphy, the previous Surgeon General, loneliness puts the body in a constant state of stress that is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day! But 11-year-old Ruby Chitsey is ensuring that the elderly men and women in the nursing homes where her mother works as a nurse, will never be lonely. What started as a project of curiosity, was soon put into action, showing all those she speaks with that they are not forgotten and their needs matter. Ruby goes around asking people for three things they want. She assumed they would ask for huge items like cars or houses. But soon found out that it was the simple pleasures they craved such as cheese, avocados and even an electric razor. Through donations Ruby is able to purchase these items, but more than anything physical she gives them, it is the peace of mind and the love she shows that transforms them. The Hebrew word for “stress” or “worry” is “da’aga.” It contains four of the five first letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The letter that is missing is the second letter, the “beit” which is numerically equivalent to two. This shows that when someone knows they are not alone, when there are two people connecting, then there won’t be that worry. Ruby is ensuring all those she visits know she is there for them.
(Header Photo: CNN)
