On July 3, I helped deliver to the door of each veteran residing at our Campus a handwritten note, prepared by members of the North Valley Chorale, “the choir that cares”, wishing each veteran a happy 4th of July and thanking the veteran for his/her service.
With cards in hand, as I entered each building in Central Park, I was initially struck by the quiet. Walking down each corridor of each floor, I saw no resident. What a contrast to the bustling, interactive activities in each building before covid. But as I continued my errand, I settled into the quiet. Unbidden, a feeling of gratitude welled up in me as I recognized each resident, staying in place and following our protocols, was honoring a care for all.
And then, as I continued from building to building, I saw and waved to fellow staff members, all wearing their masks and adhering to our protocols as they continue to diligently serve our community. In one building, I saw our maintenance crews quietly changing out air filters; in another, a food server on the way to deliver a resident's meal; and at the Admin Building delivery table, staffers sorting drop-off items for delivery.
And then I thought of the staff I did not see, working behind the scenes, including those providing 24 hours-a-day service “behind closed doors” in our HCC and AL, truly serving on the front line. Again, a feeling of gratitude washed over me, and I realized I had begun repeating silently, like a mantra, “thank you for your service” for all of our over 400 employees.
Together, residents and staff alike, we are truly Beatitudes Strong.
With card deliveries complete, as I left the campus late that afternoon, I saw the American flags, large and small, that Dan Bergem and his security crew had so beautifully set up on campus. The words of the flag pledge came to mind as did the awareness of the disparate impact of the CoVid pandemic on various segments of our population and the death of George Floyd.
Clearly, there is much work yet to be done to live into our flag pledge of being a country “with liberty and justice for all.” Going forth from our 4th of July 2020 holiday, how do we truly honor the sacrifices of our veterans and the many civilians past and present who have worked in the struggle for equality and justice, to make this promise a reality? The answer is straightforward. Let's commit, individually and together, to explore and embrace ways we can join in working diligently toward this goal.
Original post by Nancy Splain, Interfaith Outreach Ambassador at Beatitudes Campus
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