My Excursion to a Modern Retirement Community

Posted by Hildra Tague Mar 21, 2009

A friend and I recently went to my friend Joe's memorial services which was held in an Erickson Retirement Community north of Dallas, Texas. He and I had been in the same support group for caregivers of chronically ill spouses before he moved with his late wife so they would have more on-site services available.

Some months after their move, he returned to our group one week and was obviously quite happy in his new living arrangement. He was quite active physically, and participated in many events in his chosen retirement community. I was gratified to see him finding the new environment so pleasant.

My traveling companion and I sat alone at a table. Fascinating people trickled in, an artist, a ministerial intern, several residents, and the Unitarian minister of Joe's church. Before long, several hundred of his friends and admirers had gathered.

Someone reminded the crowd of a saying they'd seen somewhere that we should not wait till the storm is over, but learn to dance in the rain!

The Reverend gave the Benediction by singing a song "Let It Be A Dance" by the late Ric Masten, a cancer survivor for many years.

The words of the chorus rang true to the crowd,

"Let it be a dance we do.

May I have this dance with you?

Through the good times and the bad times, too,

Let it be a dance."

Soon we heard bagpipes but before long the master player started walking, and the music faded away. The crowd began soft rhythmic clapping till he was gone, symbolically letting Joe go.

We took home a bookmark with his name on it saying, "Smile when you think of me." What good advice.

Times like this remind us to look to our future, consider where to spend our retirement, and enjoy every moment we are given.