In the past, we have interviewed a few wonderful seniors who we send our letters and cards to. In addition to hearing about how your kind words make them feel, I love to learn about their life stories!
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking to Joe, a senior we write to from Wingate Residences at Haverhill.
In the span of almost 91 years, Joe has been up to quite a bit! He spent his entire life living on the East Coast. Starting as a 6th grade school teacher, he went on to become the principal of a grammar school, and eventually a superintendent! He has 4 wonderful children who live nearby.
I asked Joe if he had ever been a letter writer himself. When Joe served as a Sergeant during The Korean War, he frequently wrote postcards to his family. Joe collected all of the letters that he received. When he was headed back to America, he was so excited to see his family that he forgot to pack up his personal belongings! He ended up leaving all of the letters that he’d saved behind on his bunk.
Years later, Joe is receiving your cards! Although the pandemic has Joe feeling a little down because he can’t do many of the things that he used to like eating with his friends, doing fun activities, and seeing his children, Joe loves to receive your cards!
He told me that receiving your cards reminds him that other people are alive! He went on to add that it makes him:
“feel part of the world, especially now that I am isolated”
Joe says that at first, he was confused - why would a stranger be sending him a card? Nevertheless, Joe was uplifted by the messages in his cards. He read me the message inside one of his cards: “Hello friend, I’m thinking of you and sending you love. We are all in these tough times together, and you are not alone! I am sending you a big bear hug”. Joe told me that by receiving your cards, he feels like he has been able to “meet wonderful people from across the country”.
I will close with a message that Joe wanted to share with the LAI community.
“Always remember to enjoy life, and be happy”
Thank you so much for writing. You are having such an impact on the seniors who receive your letters.
Please give this post a like if you would like me to write more of them!
❤️Thanks for sharing these stories; they have provided some encouragement for me to continue making cards and writing letters because they do seem to be making a difference! At times I have wondered if the folks who get them really enjoy them or benefit and so now, I am more encouraged to keep on writing.
Marsha - 81 years young