New Face, New Phase

Growing up, my grandmother Brooke meant the world to me. When I was about 10, I would go to bed willing myself to wake up early. Then I would sneak down the stairs and sit and read in the green chair outside her room. Eventually, she would look up and see me. The two of us would go into the kitchen and she would begin making breakfast -- which always included my favorite coffee cake. The entire time, I would rattle on and on about things from school, a poem I read, a story I'd written. She would listen and ask questions. I hated it when the others would begin to stir and I would have to share her with them.

Aside from my grandparents, I've never spent much time with older adults. Rather, I've gravitated toward children. My sister and I started a lucrative babysitting business as 6th graders going into 7th. I think we were in such high demand because we actually played with the kids. How did the parents know? Once we got attached to the children, we would show up "off the clock" to seek if we could take them for a walk or play tag or whatever. When we started driving, I think we spent half our money treating kids to ice cream and McDonalds.

Over the years, I've volunteered in numerous ways: nursery, Sunday School, vacation Bible school, as a mentor for a child in a residential treatment center, as a court advocate for children in foster care, . . . . You get the picture. But I've been "between" volunteering for the last year or so. This past fall, someone suggested a nursing home. I was hesitant. They persisted, and last Monday I went to an assisted living center in town. This is somewhat different than a nursing home as the residents are more mobile and such.

Long story short, I've been paired up with one of the residents. (Though, I'm not sure what to call her. Due to HIPPA, I really can't post her name or any identifying information. Maybe I'll just call her Friend for now.) We had a really nice visit -- complete with a competitive came of Scrabble. She beat me, but for most of it we were pretty evenly matched.

So, it is a new face, and a new phase of volunteering for me. I think it will be fun.