This writing is my third attempt to publish a December post. I have a story I want to tell, but the right words have eluded me thus far. Very rarely is this wordsmith at a loss for verbiage, but every time I try to write about my new patron "Julia" (her name has been changed to protect her privacy), I am rendered speechless -- or wordless, if you will. Perhaps the third time will be the proverbial charm...

...I met Julia last week. She is a resident at one of the senior housing facilities I visit, but I have never seen her in the community room before. She was passing through, and she stopped suddenly when she saw my display. I smiled at her and asked her if she wanted to browse the collection, but she shook her head and looked away. I watched her scan the room once, twice, her disappointment palpable . She took two steps to her right and became awash in relief as she located her target, a kindly staff member. Julia began gesturing wildly to get the woman's attention, and when she did, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Jenny" came over to my table and introduced me to Julia, who is hearing impaired. Jenny has known Julia for several years and is able to communicate Julia's wants and needs quite effectively. She explained to me that Julia also does not speak English fluently; she is a native Spanish speaker. My confidence did not wane whatsoever, as I can speak passable Spanish, and I also know enough American Sign Language to make conversation. As I relayed this pertinent information to Jenny, she informed me that Julia does not read lips nor does she sign. Undeterred, I decided to write down necessary information in Spanish, at which point I discovered that Julia's vision is also impaired; she has difficulty seeing even large print. What could I possibly do for this woman? She couldn't read books or listen to CDs or books on tape. As I silently pondered how I could make my library materials accessible for her, Jenny told me that Julia does enjoy watching DVDs but can only do so when her relatives visit and bring them to her. The communication issue that had been a lifelong stumbling block was about to be overcome in this instance. I gave Jenny a library card application to fill out on Julia's behalf. I motioned for Julia to stand next to me, and one by one, I showed her every DVD I had in the crate. An excited shake of the head meant yes, a waggle of her index finger meant no. I learned that Julia likes period-pieces and anything Shakespearean. She also likes animals and travel. We laughed and smiled as we went through the DVDs. No words were exchanged between us, but we had a lovely conversation indeed. Julia was thrilled to have a library card and patronize the collection with the other residents. After I entered Julia's record in the computer and checked out her items, she clasped my hand, pointed to the DVDs and smiled broadly. That was the loudest "thank you" I've ever heard. Jenny said that I made Julia's day. As Julia left, she blew me a kiss. In this season of giving and receiving, that kind and sincere gesture is one of the best gifts to be afforded to me.