There is a bird home in the nursing home where I currently reside and today it helped bring me to a calm place. As I was eating lunch I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness come over me.

I was looking around the dining room and some residents were smiling and talking amongst themselves, others seemed to be in a place of loneliness or sadness. We will always have soft spots for those areas in which we immerse ourselves. When we see sadness or any sort of undesirable emotions or actions taking place to those around us, we will often find a way to help.

The people that often help the homeless the best, are other homeless. When we are battling an addiction, we often associate with those who are battling the same addiction. I have spent some time with the residents of this nursing home in other capacities over the years because my wife works here, (No, it’s not really a perk, work and personal life are completely separate) but I have never been a resident spending 24/7 here until now. And today, I wanted to go home.

I know that would be a mistake to go home, because I still have a long way to go on my physical therapy. Luckily for me, this realization of immersing ourselves in the culture that surrounds us hit me today. I can spend the next month or however long I am here getting to know some of the residents and staff better. I can become a healing, helpful member of this community and make a difference.