For a long time we, at the Power of Flowers Project, realized the power of those little bouquets that we make. We understand the brief reprieve that they make in a lonely day…. the smiles of gratitude…. the personal connections that are made….. the spirits that are lifted……We share those feelings when we can. But there’s another side to those good feelings and that’s how it affects other volunteers and care-givers who actually deliver them to the individual residents. Here is one such story:
Dear Joyce Bellefeuille:
A month or two ago, I started volunteering a couple of hours a week at a local nursing home. (I’m retired, and I volunteer at several places — a soup kitchen, a prison, etc.) Mostly, I’ve just been going around, knocking on residents’ doors and having little conversations with those who say that they would like a visitor. It’s not easy — especially for someone who is as shy as I am — but it brightens their day a bit. I have a 95-year-old mother who is in a nursing home herself, in another state, and I know how much such a visit can mean.
Today, after I had been there for about an hour, without having much luck on my visiting rounds, the Activities lady asked me whether I would like to distribute the floral arrangements that had just arrived from your wonderful, amazing, fantastic organization — about which I had known absolutely nothing. I jumped at the opportunity — partly because it would give me an excuse to go into every room and visit briefly with every resident, and partly because … well, who wouldn’t like to be the bearer of beautiful flowers to dozens of different people?
I had a terrific time. I have never in my life made so many people so happy — and with absolutely no effort on my part! I hardly need tell you what magic flowers can perform. But the best thing about it was the effect that your gifts had on the neediest of the residents. The depressed people smiled. The withdrawn ones came out of their shells. The shy ladies offered me their hands and asked my name. The demented ones became instantly focused and unconfused. The sleepers (and there are many of them) all opened their eyes when I tiptoed in, and when I whispered, “Don’t wake up; I’m just dropping off these flowers,” they sat straight up and said, “Oh, but they’re so beautiful. Thank you so much!” By the end of the visit, I was walking on air.
[Name Withheld]
THANKS! for sharing your day with us!
Hope this brightened your day! It brightened ours!
