Love the moment

Well, here I am. All moved in and settled. I feel as if there is so much I need to tell you all, but no real way to say it eloquently in such a short amount of time. I will do my best!

Well... to summarize it all... I love my job! I know I have only been there 5 days and it's not very realistic to say you love anything after only 5 days, but it's true. I love it! I work on a team of amazing people, helped and supported by other teams of amazing people. That alone would be enough to love a job, but there's more! There's something about working with the elderly that makes you appreciate every aspect of life. At first, I thought it was the fact that being around really old folks all day makes you pretty excited about the fact that you're still young. Although that might be true, I don't think that's what makes me appreciate life more than I did before. After spending only 5 days with the residents at Martin Luther Manor, I have seen, first hand, how they live their lives. Almost everyone I sat down to talk to (with the exception of those who are deep into the stages of dementia) lived each day as if it was the last day they would ever live. I know that pretty much sounds like something you would find written on a crocheted wall hanging, but it's true. And although I have heard the cliche "live each day as if it were your last" many times, I don't think I have ever seen it put into action. Last week, there was an evening program at Martin Luther Manor, a group called the "Banjo Boys". Residents and their family all gathered into the south dining hall to listen to the group play. Towards the end of the program, they began playing songs that the residents would recognize. They began the song "Save the Last Dance for Me" and one male resident slowly turned to his wife and asked her to dance. She helped him out of his wheel chair and they just stood there, cheek to cheek, dancing in the middle of the crowd. At 2:48 the next morning, he passed away. That story hit me like a brick!! He knew. He knew it was his last dance and even though he was small and frail and not really able to cut a proverbial rug... he didn't want to waste that opportunity. He died knowing the woman he loved saved the last dance for him. Amazing! In short, seeing residents, who very well may be taking their last breath or singing their last song, love every second of whatever it is they are doing... really makes me love and appreciate every second of anything I do more than I ever have before. And THAT... is why I love my job.

Love the moment~
Tempa