Medallion Manor

When I get really busy, all I post on this blog are a bunch of funny videos. I'm trying to rededicate myself to posting a little more about the more serious or profound musings of my life. It's good to work to express myself... cathartic even.

These past few weeks have been really... important. I guess important is the best word I can use to describe them. I've learn a lot, realized how much I have yet to learn, and have had some important growing experiences. I am weeks away from leaving for Africa, which thrills me and terrifies me at the same time. I have crossed some major personal milestones and look back with satisfaction and peace at some of the things I've left behind me.

But a week ago, I had a really sweet experience that I need to take time to record. My friend Chris and I are in charge of certain things in our ward and we had to plan a ward service project. Chris and his brother go visit the residents of Medallion Manor most Sundays, bringing them friendship and love. The residents of Medallion Manor are all mentally and sometimes physically disabled. Some are old, some are about my age. Chris suggested that we organize a carnival put on by the ward members for all of these people to brighten their day. We organized the activity with some help and last Saturday loaded up cars with games and pizza to bring over. I wasn't quite prepared for what we walked in to.

Everyone was seated at long plastic tables and there were several members of the staff sitting with these people. We started organizing the pizza and drinks with loud shouts and humming and drumming in the background. A flood of memories came back to me and I looked around with a big smile on my face.

For several years I worked with a young boy named Griffin. Griffin was born with a disorder call congenital muscular dystrophy which affected not only his physical  growth but his mental growth. He was taller than I was and only a few years younger than me but he was on the level of a 4 or 5 year old. It was exhausting work. It took a lot of patience and love some days as I helped him with his exercises, tried to teach him social boundaries, and pretty much played with him all day while his Mom took a much needed break. Some days I'd come home frustrated with him and others I'd come home laughing at something he'd done or said. But I always realized that I was lucky to have him in my life. His condition is one that drastically shortens a life and Griffin wasn't expected to live much past his early twenties. It seemed like he took a lifetime's amount of love and crammed it into his 17 year old body. He loved me so purely and so deeply. He never stayed mad at me for more than about 2 minutes, he'd call me his best friend and hold my hand and tell me he loved me every day. When I went on my mission and stopped working for his family, I thought about him a lot.

I walked into Medallion Manor a week ago and one of the first people I met was David. He had his arm around Kara, another resident, and they were talked about pirates.  David asked me to get him a whole plate of chips. Chips were Griffin's favorites.

David and Kara

   David is about the age Griffin would be right now and within minutes I realized that David has the exact same disorder as Griffin. My eyes filled with tears as he took my hand and told me that we were friends. I played with David for the rest of the day. We had a donut eating contest and he beat me, which means I owe him a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. He asked me to come back again soon.

Here's David with TJ and Aaron while we ate pizza.

This is Virginia. She has the sweetest tiniest voice you've ever heard. She drank about 10 cups of root beer.

Katie smiled like this pretty much the whole time we were there. She gave me about 200 hugs.

Here is Paul with Rob. Paul was one of my absolute favorites.

I blew bubbles for Aaron, Paul and Ray for a good 30 minutes. They just laughed and laughed the whole time.

Erik and the other Paul were running the donut contest stand. This Paul was also a favorite. He was hilarious.

Ray couldn't move his arms very well so I helped him swing around the tube that made a whistling noise.

It's been over 4 years since I've seen Griffin but I felt so grateful for him while interacting with these people at Medallion Manor. Any sense of awkwardness or reservation I might have had while working with the residents disappeared years ago while I learned from and loved Griffin. I felt like I was back in my element working with such special people with such a great capacity to love. It took me almost a half-hour to leave as I went around and said goodbye, received many hugs, had sticky fingers pat my face, had them call my name as they waved goodbye... it was such a great experience and I can't wait to go back with Chris and Rob to see them again.