Unfortunately, Dylan and I have not met our elder, Jerry, yet. However, we did have the pleasure of speaking with him on the phone yesterday after class. At first he sounded bewildered, and maybe even a little annoyed, to be receiving a call from a random "Dylan" and some stranger named "Olrog" (as he pronounced). Yet to our surprise, once he discovered it was his new friends from Little Brothers he livened up and became excited immediately. From this point on it was difficult to squeeze a word in between his various stories and updates concerning his medical health. Before this contact was made, I was nervous that it may be difficult to keep a constant conversation going during our home visits and could result in many awkward silences. Now that I am aware of Jerry's super power (small talk/story telling), my fear has disappeared. I apologize for summarizing but I felt that the context was necessary. On a more serious note, I am beyond excited to be working with Little Brothers and can't wait to learn from Jerry's stories and experiences. This class has given me a new perspective on the elderly and their worth in our society. It is a shame that we take their wisdom and other resources for granted. During this experience, I hope that I can be receptive to and thereby capitalize on Jerry's wisdom. After the experience, I plan to continue seeking advice and wisdom from this particular demographic.
Thanks for reading,
Alrik
I like how different your blog is from your partner. I was shocked that my elderly friend was very responsive and nice when I talked to her over the phone. Since you mentioned your elder loved telling stories, how about you take him to a storytelling performance? They are really great and very influential, yet engaging! Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteSeems like you both will spend a lot of time listening! You'll get to learn a lot from him then.
ReplyDeleteI was also afraid that we would have awkward silent moments, but my elder has that super power as Jerry does! Beryl had so much to say, she pretty much broke the ice, which i was thankful for. I totally agree, after spending time with Beryl i don't understand how we as people can undervalue their worth, they are just as precious as everyone else. I'm looking forward to reading more about Jerry!
ReplyDeleteAlrik,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Dylan's and yours first phone was like Alex and mines. Our elder, Ginny, at first seemed annoyed but once she realized we were partnered with her through Little Brothers she sounded a bit happy. We were afraid of awkward silences during our first meeting but it sounds like Jerry is a lot like Ginny who is very friendly and who loves to share her life experiences. I wish you and Dylan luck on your first meeting and that you guys have fun. I can't wait to hear and read more stories about Jerry.
-Lindsay