Day: April 6, 2018

Peggie is one of the most charismatic of the Mansion residents. Her children take her out frequently, she goes out to dinner, Bingo games and family dinners. She is an animal and puzzle lover. She stood up slowly – her back was hurting her today – and she talked about the death of her husband, who she loved dearly, and the struggles her two brothers had with Muscular Distrophy.

It was interesting to see how closely the residents and the refugee children paid attention to one another. Everyone wanted to hear what the other side came to say. I couldn’t help but thinking of the divisions and hatred in our country between the left and the right.

If these children, new to America and still learning to speak English could communicate so easily with these elderly rural people, most of whom had never been out of this country, then why is is our leaders and citizens cannot sit down with one another any longer and listen to one another.

Today gave me great hope.

Bob gave me permission to tell some of his story. He came to the Mansion about six months ago and is a much beloved and very warm man. The staff loves to take him out for rides and on walks.  He came with his wife Shirley, she was ill and he wanted to be with  her, so they sold the home which he helped build – he was a builder.

There were many wonderful moments at the Mansion today, but one of the most powerful was when Bob got up to speak. He told the story of how he came to come to the Mansion. He came to be with the love of his life. She was too sick to stay at home, and he would not let her go without him.

Shortly after they moved into the Mansion as a couple, Shirley died, and Bob told me his heart was broken into pieces. They had a great love for one another. He was subsequently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment that is sometimes painful and laborious.

Bob has never complained about anything. He is extremely well-mannered and gentle.

But his sadness is sometimes easy to see.

He loves to read, and I have supplied him with a stream of books about dams, canals and public works – his favorite reading. I got him a subscription to Builder magazine and I try hard to talk about building with him.  He wants to take me to an auto raceway downstate this summer. I’d love to go.

Bob struggled to his feet today to tell his story to the RISSE soccer kids, and you can see in the photo that they were hanging on every word. It is so important for them to tell their stories – Bob listened carefully to them – and it was so important to the residents to tell theirs.

Bob is a man of great courage and with a great heart. These children know one kind of courage, and Bob showed them another. Bob likes to joke that he has finally moved into a Mansion, as he always dreamed of doing. I think Bob’s heart is a Mansion all of his own.

As I left, DorLisa, a loving aide at the Mansion, yelled out the window to me and Ali that we both had “jesus hearts.” That is a great compliment to me. She has one too.

The refugee kids applauded him with great feeling when, exhausted, he had to sit down.