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Strategic Optimist I Founder, VanRocha_Media I The ByeBully Project | Dedicated Parent I Published Author I Fearless Cold Call Warrior
Showing Genuine Interest In Other People Creates 'Magic' ? I used to volunteer to encourage residents of a nursing home. I spend one hour there every week for 9 years sharing Bible based stories with them. I think I was more built up then they were. They shared so many experiences during our sessions. They were humbled by the challenges of aging but they were strong in their interiors. One Hispanic lady was wheeled into the room every Wednesday at 11 am when we started. Her name was Maria. Maria couldn't talk, walk or eat by herself. She had an accident a few years earlier that left her in that disabled state. I would ask questions of the group and Maria would always be paying attention and following me with her eyes as she experienced some spasms intermittently. About the third year of me volunteering at Forest Glen Nursing Home Maria started to answer the questions with 'Yes' and 'No' answers! I was shocked. She kept adding more words as the months went on and after a few more years she was more coherent and more animated. She still could not walk and still needed help to eat. We would talk after each session before I went back to my sales work in the afternoon. She was a gem. Then one day I came and Maria was gone. 'Where is Maria?!', I asked the staff, hoping she wasn't really sick or had died! 'She has improved so much she was able to go back to El Salvador and live with her family!' I loved that answer. I was sad but so relieved... I don't take the credit for Maria's gradual recovery but she told me she liked how I included her even when she couldn't talk. Nobody is irrelevant (except bullies ??...well maybe I am harsh..maybe not) If we show real interest in people we will witness miracles happen. I know this from experience. ??