Listening to life stories

I didn't have a specific story or encounter with a senior citizen during our visits to the senior homes. However, I have noticed that when talking to different seniors I felt like I was reading a different book each time. Books filled with adventures, love stories, challenges that were overcome, and reflections on life. Each person had their own stories and wisdom. One senior citizen said she did not like listening to Hound Dog by Elvis Presley. You see, her husband was from Memphis, Tennessee, and she and her husband were about to buy a beautiful house property. However, Elvis Presley beat them to it! Another women talked about the love of her life, her husband, who she had been married to for 25+ years. She told me that the secret to a long, happy marriage is that (1) You have to be crazy in love with the person and (2) You have to be open-minded and not one-sided thinking. I love listening to their stories and I love hearing their wisdom. They have lived life and I am hoping that I learn from them and apply such knowledge to my life.

-Crystal E.

The story of how unlikely things do happen

At our performance this weekend, after we had finished singing I went around to talk to some of the residents who had just heard us sing. Usually after the performances, I’m a bit shy to go around and talk with people mainly because I’m not sure if they want to be bothered talking after sitting for half an hour to forty five minutes watching us sing. But I reassured myself that it they would find it just as interesting as I would once we start talking. Looking around the room I spotted a woman who hadn’t talked to any the performers and sat down and introduced myself. As we began talking about the performance I asked her questions such as “What was your favorite song” and whether the songs brought any certain memories back from her childhood. 

After formalities, I asked her a little about herself. Being a college student, I was curious about how real people got careers versus what you might hear about the penultimate college student getting a huge job right after they graduated. She told me that she had gone to community college but moved back to her parent’s house afterwards to find a job. While working at a grocery store nearby, she randomly bumped into a federal employee who was currently working at the Air Force. As she told me, seemingly from out of the blue, he said she should try to apply for the position of secretary in his department because he thought that she could fit well in the department he was working in currently. So she did and she got the job! The main takeaway I found reassuring from this story was that as long as you keep on setting yourself up to obtain these opportunities, they will keep appearing.