A VISIT

I parked my car in the drizzle of the late March afternoon, waiting in the driveway for my appointment. The home I was going to review for my agency is a rather large one, sitting on a large parcel of property, set deep back behind two long driveways situated on either side of the property. But this is not about the house, but about the soul of the house, the people that live in it.

I was greeted at the door by the houseparent, who offered me coffee, and invited all who were in the house to come and meet me. Sitting around the table were some 4 or 5 people enjoying a late afternoon snack after arriving from their day program. One of the ladies sitting there invited me to sit down, which I did and offered me some rice cakes.

Ten men and women live in this abode, co-habitants that live in a peacefulness that inspires one to behave as human as possible, because life can be beautiful, that if we accept without reservation, offer peace to each other, and not judge, life can be beautiful!

One of the things that so attach me to people with developmental disabilities is their willingness to love, and to be loved. The people in this home were very high functioning, very well spoken, and just genuinely good in what one would hope to find in the spirit of people.

As I sat making out my report, I noticed that most of them were getting up to make the next day’s lunch to carry to their program. There was an order, and a peaceful cooperation among unrelated people, people that made me realize just how happy they were to be in a safe environment, cared for and caring for each other.

Interviewing a middle aged woman I asked her name, and she responded: “Geraldine, Geraldine Bosco, you know, like Bosco milk? B O S C O, Bosco.”

She related her job in her workshop program, how she loved it and how she loved living in her room. She told me she was going on a cruise with the other residents, how excited she was, and how she would have a good time, because she had never been on a cruise before.

Suddenly, I didn’t want to leave the house, I wanted to be part of this wonderful peace, this wonderful acceptance of a stranger like me, making me not want to leave!

I had visited the home last year, and I remembered some of the residents and one in particular. This gentleman was using what I think is called Wii-fi, but I’m not sure. He was bowling on his TV, and I mentioned to him I recalled that day. He said to me that he had to stop because it was “Messing up my bowling game, the ball in real life is heavy, the game fools you because you don’t have anything heavy in your hands.” I know I would have never figured that out on my own if I were doing both.

I went through my inspection of the house, as all the residents sat waiting for me in the living room. When I was finished, I stood before them, thanked them and told that that I would be back next year, just because, like last year, I so enjoyed meeting them.