Tonight’s life lesson for me: Don’t ever doubt or take for granted how beautiful and meaningful this journey of life can be. Appreciate and value those who help you, always. Approach the journey with grace and it will be reciprocated tenfold.
As I stood at the nurse’s station talking to the (awesome) team of nurses and aides that take care of Gram, I was telling the story of Gram’s arrival at Elmcroft back in 2009. Some of the team members working tonight only recently started working at Manor Care and therefore don’t know much of Gram’s story. “She was at Elmcroft?” Melissa asked. “Yes,” I said. “My son works there,” she said. “Oh?” I said. The conversation ensued, during which time I remembered her son, Randy, was instrumental in not only getting Gram settled in when she first arrived at Elmcroft, but also in ensuring she was well cared for during her 18 month stay. He was a hard-working, conscientious young man and very likable.
I was reeling from that “small world” moment while Melissa pulled out her wallet and showed me a photo of her son with his grandmother. It was a beautiful photo of the two of them, but I was awestruck as I realized I had forgotten that Randy’s grandmother is Darlene – one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life- and with whom I worked at Eat n’ Park way back in 1982. Yes, 34 years ago! Randy and I had determined this during some conversation we had one day back at Elmcroft. Wow, I thought, not only do I know Darlene, but her daughter and grandson, too, both of whom have taken care of Gram.
Randy is still at Elmcroft. Melissa is now at Manor Care. Darlene stayed at Eat n’ Park until her recent retirement. On those occasions where I had a day off of work and would happen there for lunch, I would enjoy seeing her and it would take me back to that time when we worked together all those years ago.
Tonight, I am reminded of this wonderful life journey and how grateful and touched I am for those meaningful connections that I made then and that continue today. It really is an amazing journey.
