I’ve been wondering if beauty might be contagious. You see, I met with Catherine VanRossum yesterday and what struck me most was an overwhelming sense of beauty—not just in appearance, but in how she has pursued beauty throughout her life.
Although Catherine wasn’t always surrounded by beauty, she made a point to seek it out. As a child in Holland, flowers were a constant in her life. Each market welcomes customers with massive flower arrangements, as though flowers should be the first thing on your grocery list. In the streets, flower vendors add bursts of color every few blocks. And the gardens! Fields boast a sea of rainbow colors—red, yellow, and purple.
Even flowers, for all their power, could not shield Holland from the horrors of World War II. After the war, Catherine left her home to join her future husband, a soldier who moved to Canada, where there was not so much destruction. They created a life in Ontario for a couple of years before the Pasadena Rose Festival parade caught Catherine’s eye on television. “That’s where I want to go!” she declared. And so they did.
Catherine crossed a continent chasing the beautiful roses that reminded her of her childhood in Holland. They settled in southern California, where they raised two children and created a beautiful life.
When Catherine moved to Bruceville Point two and a half years ago, it didn’t take any convincing to have her join the flower arranging group. Every week, eight to ten residents gather with a table brimming with colorful blooms and create stunning bouquets that grace the tables in the Cypress Room.
Residents at Bruceville Point gather each week to create flower arrangements for the community.
While many restaurants dress their tables with a few flowers in a vase, that is not what these arrangements are. Residents like Catherine are sculpting little works of art in flower form. The arrangements reflect the seasons—warmer colors for fall, pastels for spring, and vibrant flowers for summer. Each bouquet is unique, as every resident carefully selects the flowers for their arrangements.
A bouquet adds beauty to a table in the Cypress Room.
Catherine’s method varies—sometimes, she begins with the tallest flowers in the center, and other times, she starts with the supporting flowers and saves the centerpiece blossoms for last. As she arranges, she shares stories with fellow neighbors, discussing the upcoming exercise class or meal they might share later. It is work, to be sure, but shared work, which makes it lighter.
Catherine and her fellow residents make Bruceville Point a brighter, more joyful place. Their arrangements bring the beauty of the natural world indoors, highlighting the significance of sharing a meal, nourishing both our bodies and souls.
Catherine shares one of her beautiful fall bouquets.
There’s something profound in recognizing the beauty around us—and even more so in chasing that beauty and making it a part of our lives. Catherine has inspired me to gather flowers, gather friends, gather food, and together, create something beautiful.
Flower arranging is just one of a multitude of opportunities to engage with the Bruceville Point community. To learn more about how you can participate and contribute, please reach out to our Counselors or read more about our events and adventures.
Discover life at Tenfold’s Bruceville Point
We created Bruceville Point to support our residents to live their best lives possible. Our community’s design, residences, activities and amenities are all focused on helping to connect, engage and create an enriched life.
If you’re searching for senior living that is different from the rest, we hope you will consider Tenfold’s Bruceville Point. We invite you to download our complimentary guide Staying Home vs. Senior Living. Contact us to speak to an advisor, or schedule your tour of Bruceville Point today to experience senior living and our community for yourself.
