Day 295

3/7/23

Lilly was quite sad tonight as Mac and I returned to have dinner with one of our favorite residents at The Walker...without her! Earlier in the day, Lilly and I had made a slippery trek down to visit some of our senior friends and she was right at home. Both of my "senior pups" fit right in with the "senior residents" we visit!

Tonight, we left all four Goldens home and returned to The Walker as dinner guests of our favorite harmonica player. We went up to his room where he greeted us and escorted the two of us down to the dining room. Finding a table, we sat down to enjoy our supper together.

For the next two hours, we were regaled with stories from Don's 99 amazing years on earth and also had a number of people visit our table. There were a few who stopped by to ask where the Goldens were, but most of the diners were focused on connecting with Don. Watching those interactions touched my heart in a deep way.

As people came by with walkers, in wheel chairs or sporting canes, they all made a point to walk near enough to touch our friend's shoulder. Even though his eyesight is failing, he could recognize the voice of each visitor and had a personal comment for each.

To one he said, "It will be OK...I'm praying for you." (She had just lost her husband). She walked on with a smile on her face.

Another person works as a server. He told her how much her beautiful personality brightened the room. She looked at me with bright eyes and said, "Everyone loves him."

A young lady (92) joined our table for a bit and admitted that she had wanted to meet our friend for a long time. They spoke of music and how it fills their souls.

The list goes on and on. Suffice it to say that this man is adored by anyone lucky enough to be in his world.

We walked him back to his apartment and thanked him profusely for the wonderful meal and his company. Always the gentleman, he made sure he held a door for us and that I was always to go first. His grace and sincerity were shining bright.

As we drove the few blocks home, I thought about my experience at The Walker without a Golden. There are so many people there that I care about and actually love. It would be so much easier to simply "put in my volunteering time" and not get involved. For me, that is impossible and I consider myself so fortunate to allow my heart to connect. These seniors are treasures. Their knowledge, memories, stories and wisdom shine through...right on me! I always receive thanks for coming to visit, but I am the one who feels grateful. I get to soak up their very essence and come out as a better person every time. Thank you, Don, and thank you to all the senior friends who enrich my life.