Today is my second last day of Volunteering, I have enjoyed doing this for the last 4 years, it helped me have some purpose in life. Seniors have always been a pivotal part of my life, my first job at 17 when I was told no one would hire me because I hadn't finished high school was in a Nursing Home. So began my love of working with Seniors. I worked actively in the Senior Health Care Industry for 25 years until I injured my back protecting a senior from hitting the floor as she fell, I caught her and lowered her down gently. tearing the muscles in the left hip and lower back area, I was unable to work there after several years of trying. So I found another way to give back to the great people who have molded our world, the people who have come before us and marked a clear path for us to follow in their foot steps. I love listening to their stories, making them smile with mine, they love to hear about Australia, I have taken in many pictures to show them, recounted my travels, helped them to remember their own, bring many smiles and sparkles to their eyes as they remember and recount the events in their lives.
Many people say I have a talent that few possess and a patience that many wish they had with their own parents and relatives. I have enjoyed the literary group that I have spent so much time with over the past few years and will come to miss them dearly from the youngest being 53 to the eldest being 102, they all have something to share.
I take small treats in for one lady who's family just can't find the time to spend with her, her greatest joy of each week is Wednesdays, when I show up with a dish of fresh nuts and a piece of fresh fruit, she is always so thankful to me for giving her time and bringing her something so trivial, but it makes her smile, so why not. I will miss her dearly and will try to stop in periodically when I am in Ottawa.
I started volunteering when I was living in Australia, I use to visit a man who was a few years older than I and had be stricken-ed with MS in his early 40's, I found out he use to play chess and so it began the weekly games, at first he couldn't move the pieces himself, his hands were to tight and stiff, with in weeks I had him not only reaching but making his own moves, I did this weekly until I was diagnosed with cancer and couldn't make the weekly visits, I had a call a few months later telling me John had passed away, I was sad, because he had no family there, see he was originally from New Zealand and played footy for the All Blacks, he passed away alone, but I could take joy in the fact that I had seen him every week for years, making him smile and letting him talk about the 2 loves of his life, footy and his ex wife, who left when he got sick and needed more care, he never stopped loving her.
So as next Wednesday is drawing near I am torn, I will miss my weekly volunteering, maybe after a few weeks I will see if I can do some where my Mom is currently living, see if I can bring smiles to some new faces.
Today's Quote:
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