Leadership

Mom was an outstanding leader. As the administrator of senior care facilities, her job was never easy.

As a young girl, starting about 4th grade, I would accompany my mom to her job on my days off from school--to volunteer. I raised eyebrows, "Who is this?!"

Many of the senior residents would come closer to greet me. Some called me "little angel," while others didn't know what to make of me. So, I took wheelchairs filled with occupants individually to the dining room for lunch. I sat with my mom. Sometimes, I watched while she spoon-fed a patient. We all ate the same food. It wasn't any better or worse than the school lunches I had been accustomed to.

Volunteer work offered many opportunities. In the busier hours, I assisted the Activities Director with music, beach ball toss, or gentle chair exercises for seniors. I also worked with the Charge Nurse to stamp linens or perform other tedious tasks.

When there was nothing left to do, I sat in my mom's office while she worked, reading the books on her bookshelf. That's when I found the book on leadership and read it from cover to cover.