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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
 Posted - 05/17/2007 : 13:51:28
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Search for a Smile and Share It
By John Murphy
http://www.beliefnet.com/nllp/ChickenSoupSoul.aspx?date=5-17-2007&WT.mc_id=NL49
It was a typical Wednesday. My wife and I were speaking in a nursing home about our successful recovery from a heart attack. Afterward, one of the residents, Miriam, asked if we had a few minutes to talk.
"I've always thought to be happy I need three things: someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to," she said. "I've got people here to love, and the activities keep me as busy as I want, but I don't have anything I'm looking forward to. Do you have any ideas?"
"What did you look forward to before you came here?" we asked.
"Oh, I used to love to laugh with others," Miriam said.
"What did you laugh about?" we asked.
"Everything I could see, hear, feel, taste or smell," she said with a smile.
At that very moment, we got the idea to start our project. We began looking for humor, and we used all of our senses.
We started with a poster that said: Life is too important to be taken seriously. We found a button that read: Enjoy life. This is not a dress rehearsal. On a teabag was the message: You are like this tea bag . . . only in hot water do you realize how strong you are.
We continued searching and found cartoons, videos and audiocassettes filled with humor. People brought us bumper stickers, illustrations, books, games, comic strips and magazines. We put together humor baskets with books, tapes, greeting cards and toys for children of all ages. Stuffed animals were ever popular, followed by Slinkies and Kusch balls. And no basket was complete without bubbles to blow.
Of course, we made a humor basket for Miriam, the woman who had started us on this project. She told us that the highlight of her day was sharing the contents of her basket with others: residents, visitors . . . anyone she saw. Someone said what she was doing was searching for a smile and sharing it. So, that's what we called our project, "Search for a Smile and Share it."
The project was so successful that other facilities got wind of it and made special requests.
One nursing home asked us to make a humor cart, like a shopping cart. Volunteers push this down the hallways, sharing smiles and laughs with many residents. Still another nursing home requested that we design a humor room, complete with a VCR for fun videos. Soon families began donating favorite videos like Sports Bloopers, Candid Camera, and Carol Burnett and Johnny Carson skits.
What started as a simple gesture to help one elderly woman turned into a lifetime project.
Miriam has gone to her final reward now, but when we last saw her she had a sign on her nursing home door: Happy Is the Woman Who Can Laugh at Herself. She Shall Never Cease to Be Amused.
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Sarno-ize it!
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LuvtoSew
USA
327 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2007 : 05:34:37
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Thanks for sharing that.  |
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Woodchuck
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2007 : 10:20:55
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That's a great article!
I visit a local nursing home at least 3 times a week to visit the staff and patients I had developed friendships with during the couple of years an elderly friend of mine was a patient there (he died at age 93, Nov 1, 2006). I spend time with one couple in particular and they love to be joked around with. I'm no comedian, but it takes very little to get them laughing and it makes my day to realize just a short visit like that can mean so much to these people. Their children also visit once a week, so they have it pretty good compared to a lot of patients who never get visits. That's the sad part. But, just acknowledging those with a few words of encouragement and a pat on the back usually brings a smile and they look forward to seeing me the next time.
Anyway, I will print this article and give it to the Activity Director. I'm sure it will give her some ideas for improving her program.
Woodchuck |
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Search for a Smile and Share It
