| Smiles and Scrabble: The Witness of Seniors | Smiles and Scrabble: The Witness of Seniors | <div class="ExternalClassA4148CE52A414D1E818DA9B10391CCEA"><p style="text-align:left;"><em>October 1 is the Feast of </em><span style="line-height:20.8px;"><em>St. Thérèse of Lisieux</em></span><em> and </em><em><a href="http://www.seniors.gc.ca/eng/pie/nsd/index.shtml" target="_blank">National Seniors Day</a>. Below is the story of one local senior who embodies St. <em style="line-height:20.8px;">Thérèse</em>'s "little way." </em><br></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/PublishingImages/Blog%20Images/theresaedited.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:325px;height:358px;" /></p><p>After 83 years of practice, you could say Theresa Cusack is somewhat of an authority on navigating the complicated journey of life.</p><p>The eldest of 10 children, she met her Irish husband at a parish youth group, was married for 47 years and has been widowed for nine. She worked for 29 years as a secretary for a religious order. She battled cancer four times. </p><p>These days, she wields a winning smile and is a bottomless source of love to neighbours, friends and strangers. It's hard to believe she's an octogenarian. Her youthful appearance is partially the result of her incredible health, but also comes from her radiant joy and an unwavering faith.</p><p>Her secret? "I call it the four therapies: prayer, laughter, good classical music, and lots of love, both given and received." </p><p>Outside of Theresa's homey Scarborough apartment, where she has resided since the 1970s, Canada is rapidly changing. The dignity of human life is being called to question as our country enacts legislation surrounding euthanasia. As we ponder important questions about the value of life, seniors like Theresa provide a welcome reminder of the beauty of life at all stages.</p><p>Named after St. Thérèse of Lisieux (and married on her feast day), Theresa has a striking similarity to her patron saint's humility, hidden service and generosity, not to mention her significant capacity for love and a strong prayer life.</p><p>A total stranger to email and social media, Theresa uses tried and true methods to connect with those around her. Conversation is one of her obvious gifts, aptly demonstrated when striking up an affectionate exchange with the owner of a fierce-looking dog in an elevator. She smiles at strangers, phones her friends and family regularly and plays scrabble every weekend with her 10-year-old neighbour. "Would you believe he beats me? He beat me one week by 40 points!" It is hard to believe, but she doesn't seem to mind.</p><p>These acts are small, but based on how readily others receive these simple gestures, it's clear that love, motivated by faith in Christ, is a necessary and transformative force in an increasingly secular world.</p><p>"Love is very important," Theresa says. "I reach out to people and they respond. That's a big belief that I have, that you have to reach out to people and smile. And they respond with a smile and a greeting."</p><p>Living in a multi-cultural neighbourhood has provided Theresa an opportunity to welcome many Canadian newcomers from various countries and religious traditions, acting as an "adopted Canadian grandmother" to their children.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="/PublishingImages/Blog%20Images/theresawithfriends.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:475px;height:308px;" /><br></p><p style="text-align:center;"><em class="ms-rteFontSize-1">Theresa acts as an "adopted grandmother" to immigrant families she meets in her building.</em></p><p>Before she sets about loving others, though, she always makes sure to foster the most important relationship in her life by spending time with the Lord in prayer each day. This includes morning prayer, spiritual reading, watching the daily Mass on television and asking for the intercession of St. Thérèse, who she believes has looked after her throughout her life. She also prays for priests and the intentions of religious orders serving in our archdiocese. She has an impressive collection of oft-used prayer cards, readily available on her coffee table. </p><p>Theresa credits her good health, long marriage and sustained faith to the graces she's received through prayer. Recognizing the challenge it is for young people to live their faith in today's world, she offers simple advice: develop a prayer life and ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit. </p><p>"It's important to pray because you learn about God's love and His mercy. It gives me the strength to go on…I thank God for the good and the bad and for where I am today."</p><p>In the Archdiocese of Toronto, there are countless people who live their faith in simple, quiet ways. Some rarely leave their homes. They remind us of the wisdom of Saint Teresa of Calcutta that, "holiness is not the luxury of the few. It is a simple duty for you and for me." </p><p>Every member of the Body of Christ has an essential role in sustaining the spiritual health of our community. It doesn't take money or power or influence. Love exists in simple things like smiles and Scrabble. In every state of life, using whatever gifts and circumstances God has given us, it is possible to witness God's love and to seek holiness where we are. </p><p><br></p><p><em class="ms-rteFontSize-1">Marlena Loughheed is a communications coordinator in the Archdiocese of Toronto's Office of Public Relations and Communications. About two years ago, Theresa phoned Marlena, asking for clarification about one of Pope Francis' statements. They bonded over a shared devotion to St. Thérèse and, since that day, have regularly chatted by phone about Church news, favourite saints and life. </em></p></div> | <img alt="" height="309" src="/PublishingImages/Blog%20Images/theresawithfriends.jpg" width="476" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | |