Lessons From the Edge

Our stories are for sharing.

We have a lot of veteran's at Edgewood (As you can see in the picture above.) and this past Tuesday we had a ceremony to honor them. A (large!) group from the Michigan State University ROTC came to Edgewood for the program. They began by presenting the colors, then several of them gave short speeches before announcing our veteran's by name and presenting each of them with a flag.
It was a wonderful ceremony. The speeches were heart-felt, and everyone was touched. But it was what happened after the ceremony which made the greatest impact. The cadets stayed in the atrium and talked with our veterans and other residents.

Here, N is showing the Purple Heart he received from World War II.

D has a way of telling captivating stories.

R was eager to tell about life in the Air Force.

And this young man sat down to talk with H about his experience in the Army.

To some, it may not seem like a big deal to have someone with whom they may swap stories. But, I'm telling you, our veterans LOVED the open ears and eager listening provided by these young cadets. I haven't heard the atrium that noisy in a long time - as story after story was told, memories re-lived, and lessons shared. And to be honest, I can't really say who received the greater blessing: our vets who got to tell their stories, or the cadets who were able to listen.

One thing I can say with certainty, however, is this: Each of us has a story and - just as we benefit from telling it - so others can be encouraged by hearing.
What story is sitting in you today which someone else may be waiting to hear?

Our stories are for sharing.