Day 1177

A rare sighting…Lilly and Ranger in tandem! We met the Norbella bus down by the river for a little picnic of sorts. Everyone was thrilled to see the dogs and the Goldens were tail-wagging thrilled to be there. Miss Lilly still loves to connect to people, but spent her time snuggled up to a resident’s feet. Luckily, son Jimmy, was there to support her and get her in and out of the car. Ranger worked the crowd!

Sitting by the river, the comments from this incredible group of seniors touched my heart deeply.

“It’s been so long since I have been by a river!”

“I love the wind in my face!”

“When I was young, I used to fish down here!”

“It is so nice that someone brought us here!”

The comments flowed on and on… all full of praise, gratitude and wonder. It made me stop to ponder what was really going on in their hearts. First, their gratitude demonstrates how small their world has become. Next, their memories were vivid and beautiful which, when given the chance to revisit them, brought so much joy. Finally, this group felt like ‘real people’ who were experiencing a wonderful adventure… the smiles and laughter were evidence of their happiness. (Note: Their incredible Life Enrichment Coordinator makes their lives richer each and every day! Her rare ability to see life through their eyes is a gift to each of them!)

Perhaps we should all take a deep breath and try to see through their eyes. Appreciate the beauty, freedom and wonder around us. These lovely people are unable to control their own freedom to have adventures like we do. I, for one, am going to embrace that ability to decide my own actions and experiences to a greater degree and find gratitude in the adventures.