Seniors are a constant source of inspiration

I recently started working for the seniors at the Sandpoint Senior Center. There are many new parts to this job which I am still getting used to. One area which takes absolutely no getting used to is the warm, caring and positive environment the seniors create each day when they show up at the center to eat, play cards, shoot pool or just socialize.

 Today when I got out of bed I was immediately aware of pain in my lower back from recently lifting boxes the wrong way. The combination of bad body mechanics with a spinal injury from a football game in high school 28 years ago makes me feel like complaining to my wife, co-workers or anyone else who might listen to me. But then I think of the 100-plus seniors who I have come to know and respect over the last couple of months at my new job. Can I even think of one of these people who have complained to me about personal pain?  I honestly can not and this is remarkable to me.

 I hear from seniors about physical and emotional pains that someone else at the center is struggling with, but never from the person who is in pain. If anything, pain is somehow laughed at or made a joke of.

The other day I was sitting in on an exercise class with some ladies I was getting to know. One of the ladies, who is in her late 80s said something like, “When I woke up this morning and realized I was still alive, I thought I may as well go get some exercise and see my friends. I never thought I would live this long. I didn’t even think it was possible to live this long.” Her delivery is stated with a very dry humor and a slight grin that grows as she gets closer to the end of her statement. When she finishes we are all laughing and she continues to make fun of herself, age, aches and pains.

 I have suddenly found myself surrounded by World War II veterans, great-great-grandmothers and others who have a wealth of knowledge, history and way of conducting themselves I can learn from and hopefully model to in some degree. I don’t know if there is something in the water that makes folks around here so optimistic or if this is just how seniors are in most places, but working at the Sandpoint Senior Center has opened my eyes and inspired me. I have encouraged my parents to come to the center and meet these people (which they have) and I bring my 4-year-old daughter to work as often as I can to be around such positive people who choose to live in the moment and with a sense of humor, and do it very well.

JUSTIN HENNEY

Sandpoint