A high school visitor discovers kindness and respect
Liesl enjoyed conversations and forged friendships with many residents at Prairie City Landing, including Shirley.
Editor’s Note: This blog was written by Liesl, a high school freshman who spent several days visiting residents at Prairie City Landing in August.
During my time at Prairie City Landing, many things stuck out to me: the peaceful environment, the many activities and events, but most notably, the community. People there will go out of their way to help others, such as advocating for them, welcoming them, and genuinely caring about and getting to know each other.
On my first day at PCL, while I was having lunch with my mom, a resident walked by, looking like he was searching for something. He said that his friend’s wife was in Harbor Memory Care and his friend didn’t know how to visit her. We told him that all he had to do was ring the doorbell. A few minutes later, we saw the two friends walk over to Harbor. The friend rang the bell, the door was opened, and he went in to spend time with his wife. We were all happy for the reunion.
The next day, we saw the resident who had advocated for his friend and commented that it was very nice of him, and asked what his friend’s name was. He paused for a moment before responding, “You don’t have to know someone’s name to help them. The ability to help people is a privilege.” Such a simple exchange made me reflect on the rarity of pure kindness. “If everyone lived by that logic, the world would be a much better place,” I thought. While that is true, I realized that when you are in a community where everyone shares that perspective, such as Prairie City Landing, it feels like your own world —a world that is simple and kind.
Liesl captured this special moment in the dining room, an exchange of kindness, which was everywhere she looked.
Another example of how they care for each other is how welcoming they are. We were walking around the bistro one day when a very nice couple invited us to sit and enjoy lunch with them. Graciously, we accepted the offer. No one asked them to invite us over; they had never even met us or known who we were, but they still invited us without hesitation. We talked with them and had a great time! All around the café, I heard the hum of conversations and laughter. I wondered how many of them really knew each other and how many had just met. To me, a high schooler, this was a great act of kindness and trust. Inviting someone you don’t know to eat with you rarely happens in a cafeteria filled with teenagers in cliques. I realized that while that might be out of the ordinary for me, to people who live at PCL, it is very much in the ordinary!
While I met so many great people, one resident really caught my attention. So many residents have fascinating stories, such as being veterans, doctors, and so much more! While many other residents know these stories, one particular resident really pays attention. He is a master of all things cars and miniature models. He spends so much of his time in his apartment making models of cars from certain years, incorporating Disney characters and Prairie City Landing, and being creative with all he designs. His models are truly a work of art, but beyond that, he makes models to celebrate his friends. He listens to the stories of his neighbors, and when their birthdays roll around, he creates the most perfect gifts you could imagine! He knew a resident who grew up in San Francisco, so he made her a small model of downtown San Francisco. When a friend turned 100, he created a model with a car made in that year (a 1925 Ford Model T, for all the car enthusiasts!), and written on it was “Ford gave us the Model T, God gave us Maria.” It amazed me how much he had paid attention to his neighbors and the amount of time he put into making these models perfect for his friends.
Frank shares one of the many models he creates for friends in his community.
Witnessing how residents of Prairie City Landing advocate for each other, welcome everyone, listen and care for each other, and form genuine bonds reinforced my idea of community, not just people living together, but people caring, supporting, and listening to each other. It’s a place built on kindness and mutual respect.
Looking for more kindness and connection in your life? We love to welcome new visitors to our warm community! Stop on by!