There are people in our towns carrying stories most of us will never hear…

There are people in our towns carrying stories most of us will never hear…

Many of them are just a few minutes away, hoping someone stops long enough to listen.

This morning, I had some free time. Instead of sitting around the house, I went back to the retirement center here in town.

When I walked in, the place had its normal rhythm. Residents were showing up for breakfast. Some were getting help. Coffee was being poured. A couple hymns were sung, and then came the Lord’s Prayer.

That is part of the day there.

A rhythm.

I imagine a lot of facilities have their own version of that. Same room. Same tables. Same routines. Same faces. And then every now and then, someone walks in who wasn’t expected.

Today, that was me.

It felt good to be back, see familiar faces, share a few smiles, drink some coffee, and let the conversations go wherever they needed to go.

We briefly talked about the 4th of July and how different that day can feel depending on what a person has lived through. For some, it’s fireworks, family, flags, cookouts, and celebration. For others, especially some who have served in the military, the noise can bring back memories most of us will never fully understand.

I could read the room a little bit.

So we moved on.

Aomehow, we ended up talking about possums. 😄

We talked about how there seem to be more and more of them around Kansas, but nobody at the table could remember the last time they saw one alive. It was always the same answer. Dead on the side of the highway.

That led to other animals around Kansas, which took us straight into rattlesnake stories. And let me tell you, when retired farmers start talking about rattlesnakes, you just sit back and listen.

They talked about where they found them, how often they saw them, what they did when they came across one, and what they definitely did not do. Some of those stories were funny. Some were a little wild. All of them reminded me that people who have lived a lot of life usually don’t need a script.

They just need someone willing to sit at the table.

For me, it was a cup of coffee and a little bit of time….

#HelpMore

Trooper Ben