Our precious generation of seniors has been on my mind lately. Not long ago, my beloved grandmother passed away. In her final months of life, I was fortunate to be by her side each day creating sacred moments together. Since those days, I’ve found myself considering more intently the lives and experiences of our seniors.
During my grandmother’s transition from living, I was consumed with spending time by her side. I couldn’t get enough and I was deeply focused on every nuance of her life in those days. There were moments though where I found myself aware and more deeply attuned to the greater culture around me. Alongside my grandmother, were many others being cared for by a devoted team of health-care providers and dedicated volunteer workers. In the faces of these aging men and women, I saw someone else’s grandparent, parent, spouse, sibling and friend.
Together, these men and women represent an entire generation of memory holders and storytellers. They are connected to a part of our history that will never repeat itself again. They are a generation of witnesses to myriad “firsts” and the evolution of innumerous invention and change. Pioneers of a simpler time, they knew another way of living and being in the world.
As this generation ages, they know the experience of losing their loved ones and lifelong friends. Often, they are left alone by the passing of those before them. Their bodies have slowed or betrayed them and they are without the activities they once loved. They are missing old ways and longing for beloved friends. They are cherishing the remaining days.
On several occasions during my visits with my grandmother, I would be met by another elderly patient seeking conversation and connection. In the encounter of strangers, there was deep desire to be known and acknowledged and understood. If I accepted their invitation as they reached out, I was always a witness to a hunger being satisfied, the longing of genuine connection taking place where silence had just been, gratitude for the kindness of pausing to enter into another’s life. In the glances exchanged, there was reverence for the frailty and the fleeting of this life.
Here in Bothell, we have wonderful resources serving our seniors and caring for this priceless and timeless generation. Yet there are myriad ways this generation would be enriched further by our community. I’d like to encourage you and your family to make a difference in someone’s life this summer. Reach out to the seniors of our community. Dedicate your time and invest your heart. Enrich your life and theirs by volunteering at one of the following resources. Call them today and see how your participation might change someone’s life!
As time has added days since my grandmother’s passing, I am left with the power of her legacy. When our lives have ended, our legacy remains. Our contributions are carried by the lives we touched and the ways they speak about our choices on this earth. As you reflect on the presence of your life in the world, what is the legacy you wish to leave behind?
Perhaps there is a senior in our community waiting for you to enter their world — where you will both be forever changed by the gifts you leave one another and the legacy you build in their presence. Make this summer one that you and someone else in the world will never forget!
Shannon Renae West, MS LMFT is a licensed family therapist working with adolescents and young adults on the greater Eastside. For more information, visit www.ShannonRenae.com.
