So Blessed, to Be Living in a Community of Elderly

On senior living, translated…

They’d not only erected a welcoming plaque, they’d also, adopted the rows of Chinese banyan between the sidewalks and the roads as well………

I’m under the age of thirty, and, I’m living in a community of elderly of the average age of sixty.  This, is a community, located in the southern side of the city of Taichung, it’s a place, where there are, more trees than people, some of the elderly in this community had lived here their entire lives.  Compared to other places I’d lived, there’s this, unique way of life here.

Treating the Community as Extensions of Their Own Homes

When I first arrived, I was deeply attracted by the green tunnel of this community.  This pass was originally no more than the section of sidewalk outside the elementary school, but, this group of cute elderly had, set up the area using bamboos and wooden frames, with the bright colors of red and green, “The Green Tunnel to Guo-Guan Community”.

They’d not only set up a welcoming plaque, they’d even adopted the rows of old Marabutan on the sides of the roads, and they’d planted, an assortment of colorful flowers in red, yellow, white, etc., etc., etc., along with the edible Japanese cherry trees too.  It’d become, very lively, in this short sidewalk section, full of colors.

The elderly also had, created sets of tables, chairs, using the recycled items.  And, these tables and chairs are, next to the green tunnel, and they’d become, a great place for the elders to chat in the leisure afternoons, or for the weekend functions.  And, on the other side of the tables and chairs, they’d put up a bulletin, and a Disney clock, constantly posting the activities.

Every time as I jogged through this green tunnel, I’d bumped into retired elderly persons, with brooms in hand, sweeping up the fallen leaves, or with a hose, watering the plants on both sides.  They’d not seen themselves as volunteers, but simply, treating the place as an extension of their own home—they were just, making their homes more beautiful.

Using Fundraising Activities, to Show Care and Concern Toward the Less Fortunate

There would be, unscheduled social events for the elderly here: the hospitals, coming here, to take the blood pressures of the elderly, to give them regular simple exams; the jazzercise instructor, teaching the dance moves, and, the migrant workers who can’t speak Chinese would also, join in the activities as well.  Of all the activities, the one that moved me the most was, how the elderly would sell the foods for the purpose of charity.  The group of elderly would get together, to make the traditional food items, not only were they able to maintain that tight-knit connection with one another, they also helped out the less fortunate in the society.

Then, what, can I give back, to this community that I live in?  other than writing this article, to tell the world how wonderful this place is, I’d also, done something small.

Once, there was an elderly woman who’d wanted to hire someone, to clean up the water tower for everybody, and, the cost is divided, among the residents equally.  After I’d learned this, I’d turned the amount, into the passionate neighbor who’d posted the bulletin.  She looked at me, with question, asked, “Aren’t you, just a tenant here?  You don’t need to put up the money, your landlord will!”  I’d answered her, “Let me give it to you first, and, if the landlord gives you the money, then, you can give me back the money, I’d rather pay more, than for you, to receive less, someone who does a good deed, should not be paying out of her own pockets.”

Later on, the neighbor DID, receive the payment from my landlord, and, managed, to get to me, through other residents, and, returned the $300N.T. back to me.  Actually, to her, and to me, this money isn’t much, I’d just, put in some money, to show how much I appreciate living in this community is all, and, she’d returned the money back, to show how she wasn’t trying to keep anything for herself.

After this, I’d become, more aware, of how this community of elderly is so appealing—everybody gives back to this land, and, with their living on this property, they’d become, even more attached to this place.

And so, this, is how tightly-knit this community is, and, wouldn’t it be great, to live in such a place, where nobody nickels and dimes, calculate on everything they’d putting in, how much they’re getting in return?  And, it’s because of this positive attitude by everybody in this neighborhood, that’s made this place, a very friendly community to live in.