Breaking Bread
How to find community in the present moment
Feeding mom lunch and dinner each day has made me a regular at my mom’s senior community. Over the past three months, I have witnessed how the residents help each other, work through disagreements, and are in sync with how everyone is feeling moment by moment. They’re family.
Before this experience, I associated community with “finding your tribe,” which, for me, meant finding like-minded people. Now, my definition of community has expanded to include the people I’m with in the present moment.
My mom’s community is comprised of people who, for various reasons, are unable to live independently. Brought together by illness, they have different political views, former professions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. They are short, tall, introverted, and talkative. Yet, their common thread is they need assistance with some aspect of daily living. The nurses also have varied backgrounds and their common thread is their love for caregiving. During my visits, the staff and residents update me on mom as I head down the hall to her room. They are aware that I, too, need assistance. They know my mom’s time is drawing near and their smiles and hellos comfort me.
