fulfilled

for over a week now I have been working at a retirement home on Queen Anne. it has been wonderful to spend time with these elderly brave hearts...each one, like myself, has a story to tell and a deep desire to be loved and accepted.

my heart beats hard and sings loud when I can share my love with them. honestly, I need to do this...it gives me life to give it away. the loneliness in their eyes can be so deep. like a child lost at the fair. not sure where their parents are or how to get home. each day I visit with a dear woman who longs for her mother. she cries and asks why she can't go home. I hold her and assure her that she is loved and is home safe. then, there are others who are just full of joy and shalom. even as they suffer through aches and pains, they seem to rise above it and shine. their anecdotes and jokes are as rich and lively as those heard on the big screen.

why are the elderly underappreciated so? what causes them to become so isolated? I know we all become busy and feel less inclined to be around the sick then the young and vibrant...but it just hurts to see these beautiful people alone. So, I feel lucky to be here...it was a surpise gift that I thank God for. Hopefully this temporary job will become permanent and I will learn more about what love looks like in the eyes of the brave. it feels good to look beyond myself and find purpose while getting paid!