Bright Lights

Can retirement homes have bright lights?

One doesn’t think of a retirement home having bright lights. I know of a retirement home in San Antonio, Texas, that does.

Howard and Carole are both in their 90’s. They exude kindness, warmth, caring. They know almost every resident by name, including all the people who serve the residents. They know birthdays, achievements, life issues, worries.

When you visit them, they want to know all about you and what you are doing. It is difficult to get them to talk about themselves, but when you do, you see a deep reservoir of faith and goodness.

Howard and Carole were living in Kerrville in 2002 when they decided to drive into San Antonio to purchase a large dark, wood piece of furniture with shelves they wanted to put in Howard’s office. While in San Antonio, they visited a newly constructed drug treatment facility on the West Side built by a ministry of Freddie Garcia for men and women recovering from drug addiction. Howard and Carole decided they would rather give to the Freddie Garcia ministry than have the furniture so they returned the furniture and made a donation.

Howard and Carole are engaged in the serious issues we face today — COVID, racism, hunger, the environment, education. Howard reads to Carole every night while she knits. She lovingly gives her dish rags away. Elizabeth and I have two!

What I see in Howard and Carole is the fruit from life choices they made years ago, followed consistently through thick and thin.