Day 879

Ranger was my buddy on our trip to Norbella this morning. When we pulled up to the venue, the big guy looked tired, but that lasted only a moment before he jumped out of the car and turned on the charm!

The residents there have come to mean so much to me. At first, they all seemed to blend together, but now, their personalities are unique and heartwarming. Independent Living is full of fun and engaging seniors, but it is in Memory Care that finds my heart melting.

This morning, one of the gentlemen couldn’t seem to get settled as they gathered around the fireplace. Ranger and I sauntered over and asked how we could help. He indicated that his feet were bothering him. Sitting in his recliner, I gently elevated his legs. Then, I noticed his socks had fallen down a bit. I asked if I could adjust them and he told me to go ahead. I tugged the socks up slowly trying not to bring more discomfort. With a big sigh he said, “Oh, my!!! That feels so good! I can’t thank you enough!” As we moved to the next senior, the smile on his face showed absolute delight!

Something as simple as pulling someone’s socks up can create such a difference for someone who is unable to do it by themselves. Being absolutely humbled by his gratitude, I realized that, on the other side of that locked door, it takes a lot more than adjusted socks to bring joy to our hearts.

My senior friend reminded me that the simplest pleasures can bring amazing joy. That first sip of coffee in the morning, the colorful leaf that drifts down to silently fall on your sleeve or any number of almost incidental happenings can bring some of the purest joy to our hearts. We just have to be on the lookout lest they go unseen in our busy world.

For Ranger, rolling on his back in the leaves, getting his ears scratched or just being close to his humans brings obvious delight to our big red dog. I am going to try to be more like Ranger and enjoy the simplest pleasures by being more aware of them and the happiness they offer.