Busy times at the QB Senior’s’ Centre: as expected, we experienced a very active and successful month highlighted by a sold-out evening to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Oh boy, how many Irish sings are there? Previous to that, there was good turnout for a St. David’s Day lunch with Leek soup and Welsh Rarebit. There were excursions to shows at Chemainus and Duncan and a Seniors’ Showcase in Victoria.
For this month, we have a tea and fashion show (must have outfits from a Thrift Shop) on the 25th for St. George’ Day. Expect to find a few enthusiastic Brits in the crowd! There’s a trip to Duncan for the Palm Court Orchestra and our BIG Sale and Silent Auction on Saturday April 11 from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Come One, Come All. To end the month, our fantastic Songbirds choir will perform just for us on Thursday, April 30.
One aspect of life observed at the centre can be loneliness, either expressed or simply there. With some seniors there is a quiet determination to ‘tough it out’ after the loss of a very dear companion and remain single. For others, it may be more subtle arising from loss of relatives and friends or being uprooted to live in a new area. These persons may be open to new possibilities, but without any heavy commitment. Just, perhaps, lunch and coffee and watch TV together.
There could also be gains of a practical nature, such as: He: “Where did all those single socks come from?” or “How do you fold a fitted sheet?” She: “Well there’s that dripping tap and a couple of other headaches.”
The question then is, how can such people meet? In this equation, factors such as personality come into play. Is one outgoing or shy and withdrawn, self confident or a bit fearful of the world? Then the self image: How do I see myself or appear to other people? What about my age? ... almost always the major question for seniors. On this subject we need to member as well as chronological number there is a biological age. The writer has dealt with this by picking a number and holding firm.
So, how to begin a friendship? Who makes the first move? Is it with a smile and a ‘safe’ comment about the weather? Why don’t we just be daring and go for it, and who knows, the fates might just decide to play a part? Which is a reminder that there are sometimes occasions where things just don’t work out. This is when the attraction is very strong but is unrequited and the sad, sad phrase comes up — we’re just good friends. Having said this, it is nice to know that romance is still included in a senior’s vocabulary.
The glossy ads showing a young bronzed couple lolling on a beach in the Bahamas are certainly not the total picture. We need to remind ourselves that a romance can still happen for seniors. After all, it involves the heart which, no matter what age, contains hope and love.
Therefore, why go to the Bahamas when our local area offers such a lovely scene to explore with someone.
There could be a bonus as well — no more patting down at airports and no expensive health insurance.
As a final note: we must try to live as full a life as possible by utilizing the joy, colour and energy of the world around us. There are ways to deal with loneliness and centres such as ours can be one positive way.
— Roy Jones is a member of the Qualicum Beach Seniors’ Activities Centre, open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. For more information visit us at 703 Memorial Avenue in Qualicum Beach, email us at qbseniors@shawbiz.ca, call 250-752-0420 or check out the website at qbseniors.ca