Meet Linda, the star of our Day in the Life Video
At our recent 5th Anniversary Party, Linda received the well-earned award for social butterfly!
If you’ve seen our new video, then you have seen Linda, a resident at Bruceville Point. She’s raising a glass in a toast with Susan, welcoming Dick and BJ for breakfast, arranging flowers, participating in fitness classes, getting her hair styled in the salon, enjoying a movie in the theater, dining with friends, and gathering around the fire pit in the evening.
You might think, “Sure, she’ll do all of that for a video.” But that actually reflects Linda’s days. As Linda told me, “I moved here to thrive instead of just survive.”
Linda was married to her best friend for 49 years. When he died two years ago, she started the long process of learning to live by herself. “My husband and I did everything together. We traveled, we talked. We didn’t need anyone else,” Linda said.
She looked around her two-story house, filled with heirlooms passed down from family members, and instead of feeling connected to them, she felt alone. “I realized that I wasn’t keeping those heirlooms. They were keeping me.”
Linda is young—younger than most of our residents. So why not downsize to a smaller house? Or move to an active adult or retirement community? Linda reasoned that she could, but they just felt like a smaller version of her existing life. She didn’t want smaller; she wanted livelier.
She also wanted to be able to prioritize how she spent her time and money. She didn’t want to be replacing water heaters or decking material in another home. “I didn’t want to deal with the bills, the cooking, the cleaning, the house and yard maintenance anymore!” she declared.
Moving to Bruceville Point has added options to Linda’s life. “Having a full kitchen is nice because it’s an opportunity here, not an obligation,” Linda noted. Like many residents, she prefers to dine with friends in the dining room. Likewise, Linda was an avid gardener for years. Now, if she feels the urge, she can plant something in the community garden, but it isn’t a chore she must do.
Linda’s sense of humor lightens the room. The collective joy is palpable!
Like most residents, Linda toured Bruceville Point before moving. She found the residents welcoming and the staff incredible. Her overall impression was that Bruceville Point felt alive and vibrant. To be sure it wasn’t all just a show, she followed our Facebook page for a while, noting the frequent fun events and adventures. After six months, she was convinced that life at Bruceville Point had something to offer her.
Linda loves her active life. She rarely spends time in her apartment, preferring to take fitness classes, go on outings, and hang out with other residents and team members. She also appreciates the fact that many of the residents understand firsthand what she’s been through, losing a spouse and moving.
Linda keeps active and social by taking several fitness classes—sometimes all in one day!
Linda noted that moving is what you make of it. For her, she recognizes that part of what she is paying for is the fitness classes, events, and access to dining. “I love the choices here,” she said, adding that her grandkids do, too. “They say, ‘I want to go to Grandma’s so we can go to the five-star restaurant!’”
Plus, Linda rationalized, being on the young side is a perk. “Where else could I go at my age and be called a young chick?” she laughed.
Part of the reason Linda chose to move when she did was that she did not want to wait for an emergency. Also, she wanted to take the burden off her children by making the decision herself. Still, Linda has surprised herself with the move. “I didn’t think I’d be this active and involved,” she reflected.
Linda enjoys the dear friendships—perhaps the most important element of thriving—that she’s created at Bruceville Point.
Even in the short time Linda has lived at Bruceville Point, she has made some dear friends. Her days are packed, trying things she never dreamed of before (kayaking?!). Her life is full again. In fact, the day after Linda and I visited, she was off to Disneyland with her family. She said even travel was easier now—all she had to do was tell the front desk she’d be out and she could leave without worrying about her house, yard, or mail.
As I left Bruceville Point for the evening, I turned around to see Linda talking with Danyale, our Dining Experience Director. She and Danyale were brainstorming how they could make everyone feel welcome in the dining room. I recognized one more thing Linda has created in her life here: purpose.
We are grateful for Linda’s enthusiasm, the way she has positively touched the lives of so many with her friendship, and how she has become an integral part of our community. Thank you, Linda, for making Bruceville Point your home!
