Sharing Life Stories with Shockers - Week 6

More Connected Than We Realize

We are getting really close to the end of our sessions, with just a couple weeks left. Almost every session to-date has been largely group based. What has been rather enjoyable about the group setting is the organic conversations that evolve (beyond the questions in the life bio workbooks) because the story of one participant sparks a memory for another. Have you ever just sat around with family and reminisced about growing up? Or with old friends and reminisced about high school or college days? How pure and enjoyable that is. Now imagine getting to do that after 70, 80, or 90-some years to a room of college students who didn't have the privilege of seeing the world the way you did. That is the beauty of sharing time together in this space - our participants surrounded by peers who also lived what they lived, and students who are mesmerized by how different a time it was. We're just along for the ride, getting to experience firsthand these stories and memories that span a lifetime. 

While the world was incredibly different when our participants were children and young adults, I rather enjoyed the realizations a few students highlighted this week, realizations that we really aren't that different. For example, a student who completely connected with a childhood story of one participant, noting she experienced something similar with a childhood friend when she was that age, too. Or another student who has seen the exact advice given by his participant, "Follow your dreams", unfold before his eyes through his parents' lives. Then another who was inspired by the resilience of a participant who dealt with a car breaking down when younger - how he related to and was inspired by her persevering and figuring it out, as he dealt with something incredibly similar.

Then there is the beautiful sharing of faith happening, especially in the assisted living group who reside at Catholic Care. Their faith is the cornerstone of their lives and they proudly share it with those of us in the room. As one student so eloquently pointed out, their faith is so present in the room, yet in a way that is not forced upon anyone. Rather, it's shared, it's personal, it's part of their story. What a meaningful way to share one's faith, right? It is a joy to simply be there and be encouraged by their words. We are connected in more ways than we realize and it is a pleasure to see these small connections, relatable stories, and advice unfold across generations. 

Moving forward as we close in on our last couple of weeks, we'll be wrapping up missed questions, filling in the blanks, and hopefully finalizing life stories. There should be some intentional time for one-on-one interaction between student and participant and I personally, cannot wait to see what we have left to learn.

See you next time for more Sharing Life Stories with Shockers!

-Jacie Green