Yesterday I took my son to school for his kindergarten test.  As we drove, I told him that he’d meet his new teacher and that she might ask him a few questions to get to know him.  (I tried to be very cool and not show that I was a little nervous about this milestone!)  As he sauntered down the long hallway, holding his teacher’s hand, I sat  in an empty office filling out paperwork.  A few minutes later, he came bounding down the hall, smiling, and holding a newly sharpened pencil.  In the parking lot, I asked him about “the test.” He said it was great and then proceeded to say, “Did you know Miss Jones is only 27 years old and that she lives one mile away from the school?” I laughed and laughed….why was my child asking his teacher all these questions when HE was the one there for testing?  Later, as I related this to my husband, we laughed again. And then I realized that my son is entering a new relationship. Come September, he’ll spend 5 days a week with this teacher, learning, laughing, and growing with her and his classmates. I guess it’s only fair that he ask her a few questions!

As we think about living and working at Messiah Village, it’s important to remember that good relationships are based on knowledge and a mutual respect of the other person’s stories.  And speaking of stories, our residents have great stories!  If we really want to embrace community life, we need to ask questions and really hear the answers. Maybe this week, you’ll meet someone new. You don’t have to ask them their age, but you could ask them about a favorite vacation, a beloved hobby, or a childhood pet.  Sometimes the simplest question starts a great friendship.