by Carolyn Brown of our Riverside Court location in Woodstock, NB.

And I do wonder as spring unfolds soft golden shadows and wraps the cold in sleeves of green grass allowing daffodil and crocus bulbs to embrace the sunshine, how great it would be to have those things we face in life just spontaneously happen like Mother Nature allows. Now we know, of course, there are showers of blessings, clouds of concern and winds to whistle heartaches for us all that lead us to the “I don’t want to go there” world of making choices. Wouldn’t we rather have it evolve like Mother Nature? Choices is defined as the act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. The trouble is, oftentimes neither of the choices excite us as we wish they would. However, the reality is that we do know we have to do something, we have to make a choice, and yes, I’ve been as guilty as you in “dragging my heels”.

MacLeod Riverside Court is full of wonderful people who have had to make some serious choices and I am here to tell you I was witness many times to the” dragging of the heels.” I don’t blame them one bit. Their life changes have brought them to realities they did not want to face but they recognized for their own enjoyment of life going forward and often times to provide peace of mind to their families, it was time to make a choice. Staff and current residents here in the “big yellow house” are always delighted with their choice, hands down. We love new neighbours.

So when I walk in to a room full of activity, laughter, tea and cookies and May Baskets being made, what am I to think? It certainly leads me to believe there are people who are happy with their choices. It has worked out for the best. I don’t know how many times I’ve had folks come  to stay just for a week or a month or a winter and then say, “I want to stay, I love it here with everyone.”

Tea times, Church services, bingo, manicures, van trips to stores, exercises, musical entertainment, Therapy Dog Visits, cards and games, Knitting Club, Quilting, and Holiday Celebrations are just a few delightful activities you can choose to be involved in. Now there is that “ choice” word again!! It is every residents’ choice what they attend, whom they visit and yes, you can even make choices around your meals!!

Well, as the river continues to sparkle and we open our arms to receive the warmth of spring and summer, let’s keep our minds and hearts open to make the very best choices we can in every situation. Choices will always be part of life and won’t just roll out like nature, they require our active participation. The question might be” what will happen if I do nothing at all?”