I was visiting a client in a nursing home the other day and spent time in the community room. It was interesting for me to watch everyone in the room, what they were doing and their level of involvement. It made me stop for a moment when I realized each person in the room had a history of family, some raised children, had careers or hobbies or did volunteer work. One man sat in a chair in the corner talking to himself. Another argued over a person wanting to sit next to them. I then realized their entire existence was limited to living in a nursing home, likely sharing a room with another person and having space for no more than a couple of containers of belongings. Sometimes it’s good to slow down and just watch and appreciate the ebb and flow of life. But it’s also hard to realize that one day my life too may consist of no more than a single container of belongings.
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