Lessons From the Edge

There's more than one way to enjoy a song.

Today is a special day at Edgewood.

Three of our residents are celebrating birthdays.

One of those three is turning 105!!!

And H - the one who is 105 years old today - is the one who taught me this week's lesson.
H loves music. She sings all the time. Only, her singing is more like a high pitched, slightly-out-of-tune oooooo-ing/humming sound. And - to be quite honest - it annoys some residents sometimes. Because she's quite loud and they don't like it.
But she loves to sing! And I love her high pitched, slightly-out-of-tune oooooo-ing/humming sound, because I know it is a reflection of the joy in her heart.

Well, the other day, I saw H enjoying music in another way.
She was sitting in the atrium while one of our favorite entertainers was playing the piano and singing. H was in her wheel chair, slightly slouched to the side, kind of staring at the floor. (She has very poor eye-sight so it isn't often that she really focuses on anything.) I began to wonder if she was listening to the music, or if she was lost in her own little world.
Then I glimpsed her feet.
And I wasn't wondering anymore.

H's feet were tapping along with the beat of the music, and I was quite sure - if her body would let her - she would have been on her feet dancing.
I stood for several minutes just staring at H's dancing feet, taking in the joy they expressed. And that's when I learned, there's more than one way to enjoy a song.