Joe (Spectacle)

I am bursting with excitement here at my laptop typing this, because next week my team and I are about to announce something huge. (Sign up Here to get the scoop - whether you are someone who wants to start talking with a grandparent, or a professional looking to bring our program to your center, you won't want to miss out!!)

If my relationship with my amazing grandma is chapter 1, and our original class and blog is chapter 2, next week is when we turn the page to chapter 3. The Best Day of My Life So Far story was once my story, but now it’s all of ours whose eyes are meeting here on the screen, and soon it will be a story shared by so many more of us.

Ours is not just a story about older people, it’s not just a story about stories. Ours is a story about community – about unity of our social, cultural, generational, technological diversity. We have created this community in the most genuine, heartfelt way we know how, because with that comes real happiness, real humanity, real histories. Ours is a story that is big and brave enough to push back on the more difficult parts of life, things like isolation, depression, loneliness. Ours is a story that takes diverse memories of the past, turn them into something alive and united for the present, and give it like a giant gift pack to future generations.

Thank you for helping us create this community. And now, let’s make sure this community grow. Let’s help real happiness, real humanity, real histories spread. Help us turn the page to Chapter 3.

Joe Garrison
10.11.2012
Spectacle

I was on a cross-town bus a couple of days ago to do some shopping. I got on the bus. There was a person on the bus. Clearly, people were staring at him—I could tell even though I can't see. People must have been looking because of how loud he was. He sounded like he must have been inebriated. He was talking about how lonely he was.
He was saying it was the worst thing in the world for a man to be lonely and how he wished the Lord would send him a woman. Finally he moved towards the front of the bus and I felt relieved that he was getting off, because I felt a little embarrassed for him.

I am lonely too but I don't get on buses and shout it to the world.

The point of the story is, it's good to express feelings, but not to the extent that you make a spectacle of yourself. That’s why I am grateful for this class because I can express my feelings, whether they are happy or sad. Here I can use stories to relieve any loneliness and depression that I have. It is a great thing.