December 22, 2020

Christmas Singing with Our Teachers by Alan Anderson

 




 

“I thank my God every time I remember you.” –Philippians 1:3.

 

I dedicate this message to the memory of our beloved friend, Bobbi Junior. She often encouraged me to write about those I call, “my teachers.”

 

Life in a long-term care facility can be lonely, where a resident is mindful of losses and memories of family and friends. The loneliness is difficult for most residents to deal with. In my role as chaplain, I had the honour of coming alongside many elderly, ill old people. I regarded each of them as my teachers.

 

I will never forget one Christmas Eve day. Here is the memory. A practice of the leadership team at Christmas comprised visiting the various neighbourhoods in the facility. With each visit the team sang Christmas carols and songs for the residents. Our residents lived with many serious health challenges. We loved them as people and respected them for their life experiences.


Memories of walks to the neighbourhoods stay with me even now. When the team entered the neighbourhood, the residents would wait for us to begin. Their faces of smiles like bright lights drew the team to them. We sang to our elders as people entrusted to us by families who knew we cared for their loved ones.

 

The songs we sang were Christmas classics like Silent Night, Away in a Manger, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, and catchy songs like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Residents and staff along with a few family visitors smiled, laughed, tapped their toes, and clapped their hands.

 

Occasionally residents held still by the progression of Alzheimer’s disease swayed to the rhythm of the songs. Traces of smiles brought their lips to life for a moment. One lady who had been a choir leader years ago moved her hands as if she took on the role of the team’s conductor.

 

When our Christmas song time would end, the team would return to their various responsibilities. We also had time to reflect on the honour of our call to serve our beloved elders. Neighbourhood staff had by then turned on Christmas music now heard throughout the care home. We all hoped this act of Christmas cheer helped our residents enjoy memories of the season.

 

As I would come alongside residents, especially those who were dying, they often reminded me of their precious memories. Most of their memories were of times with family and loved friends. The elders, my teachers, confirmed life is a gift we are to live and love. There were a few each year who knew this Christmas would be their last. This made singing for them more than Christmas cheer. This would be a time of farewell and memories of precious people.

 

I conclude this post with a personal note.


Bobbi is a precious person to me. I only met her once in person. What a wonderful memory I have of meeting her at our 2019 InScribe conference. My wife, Terry, and I met Tracy first as we entered the room at the conference. I turned around and there was Bobbi. She had a big grin on her face, and she said, “We finally get to meet each other.” We then shared a hug. I still remember her hug and I will always remember Bobbi.

 

Merry Christmas, Bobbi!

 



Alan lives in Deroche, B.C. with his wife, Terry. He contributed stories to Good Grief People by Angel Hope Publishing, 2017 and Story by Story: The Power of a Writer, Unstoppable Writers Publishing, 2018. Alan has also written articles for FellowScript Magazine. Blog: https://scarredjoy.ca. Alan is the Provincial Rep. Liaison and BC rep for InScribe.


15 comments:

  1. Lovely memory and tribute to a good friend. I met Bobbi twice and had the blessing to be in her home to share a meal. I see that we are in the Unstoppable Writers book together. Thank you for reminding me of that book. I had forgotten. Many blessings to you, and Merry Christmas,
    Janis

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Merry Christmas and, I pray, Happy New Year to you and your family, Janis! This post challenged me more than any other this year. I'm not sure why. When I gave consideration to "memories" and thought of this year I then thought of Bobbi. Blessings to you, Janis.

      Delete
  2. A very touching post and tribute. We all loved Bobbi. she made such an impact in her quiet and sensible way, and I know that the heartfelt tributes are more than mere words. She truly was one of a kind. I also could picture in my mind's eye the wistful and happy faces of the residents you spoke of as they sang or listened to the Christmas Carols. God bless you and Terry! I was so glad to meet you both in person in 2019! I suspect you are another one of those people, like bobbi, who touches hearts beyond what you even realize... God bless in 2021.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been thinking of you, Tracy, over the past few months. I hope and pray 2021 embraces you with love and health. I know this might sound a bit trite but, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, to you and your family. Hug your grandchildren as much as possible. I'm sure you do. :)

      Delete
  3. I'm glad you cheered those folks up. Institutions can be a lonely end to an active life. Of course we can't visit elderly people anymore due to the virus.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bruce! Yes, a need for companionship and ever present loneliness is common in care facilities. A compassionate staff makes all the difference. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Bruce, and I pray a Happy New Year.

      Delete
  4. How fitting, Alan, that there be a tribute to Bobbi among the December 2020 IWO blogs. Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts about our beautiful and unassuming friend and colleague, Bobbi Junior.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sharon! The honour is mine, my friend. Merry Christmas to you and your husband. May 2021 embrace you with better days than 2020.

      Delete
  5. Pat Gerbrandt8:58 pm GMT-7

    The importance of sharing music with those in care homes (and hospitals, too) is something impressed on me through various experiences. Carolling with a group one Christmas season, I stopped in the room of our friends' father while the rest continued to the end of the hall. The gentleman tried valiantly to speak, but although his lips moved and a bit of breath escaped, I could not understand the words. I thought how his family have loved to be there to sing for him, and told him I knew they would have sung far more beautifully than I ever could, but for the sake of this couple who lived in another province, I sang a verse or two and told him I knew they loved him. With a pat on the shoulder and a wee kiss on his forehead, I left. My mom later lived in the same care home. She died, one of the HCAs put on Mom's favourite Christmas CD, even though it was Thanksgiving Day. What a gift! Now, my sis-in-love, an RN, sings to residents as she feeds them. She says sometimes they are so engaged with the music, they stop eating momentarily. Others join in, even though they hardly ever speak! This year, such solos, and carolling via recordings may be the only Christmas music many of the elderly will be able to enjoy. And, on the note of appreciation for Bobbi, I too cherish memories of this tiny dynamo. The imprint of her life was soft, but unmistakable and deep.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alan, thanks for what you shared. How wonderful that you could cheer up people in nursing homes by singing. This Christmas my husband is in lock-down at a nursing home because of Covid-19 on his floor and my family will be unable to see him. I hope they play Christmas music on his floor. We usually have a weekly Zoom chat with him as a family, but didn't even have that yesterday because the two recreational people who set it up didn't make it to work yesterday because of all of the snow.

    I remember my visit with Bobbi at the Fall Conference 2019. Everyone else was in a session, but instead I spent an hour sitting and talking with Bobbi. What a memorable visit! She was a very special person. It was truly time well-spent.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bobbi is certainly worthy of this dedication, Alan! She was a "teacher" for me as well. I will always remember her encouragement to me as we worked together on InScribe. Sensible, practical, calmly-assuring and witty! And I'm sure she would have approved of your ministering to our dear seniors. What a lovely experience for them to bring in the love and joy of the Christmas season!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for this beautiful tribute to Bobbi and sharing your story. That the residents had memories that were mainly of times of family and loved friends shows that life is precious because of our relationships with God and others above all else.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you, Alan. A wonderful tribute to a lady who’ll be dearly missed.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great tribute to Bobbi. Bobbi came to our writers group and shared ideas and inspiration. That visit turned into an extended friendship with members of our group. So good to hear of your caroling at Christmas with seniors and the light that returned to their eyes as they heard lyrics and melodies that were familiar. What a blessing.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to join in the conversation. Our writers appreciate receiving your feedback on posts you have found helpful or meaningful in some way.