don't you forget...

This quote really spoke to me.  I remember when I  figured out

what kind of non profit I wanted to start.  I'd been wanting to do

something for years, but just couldn't figure it out.  When I finally did

I planned and plotted for months without saying a word to anyone - as

it was my baby and I didn't want anyone to deter me from my mission

or discourage me.  When I finally did divulge to people what I wanted

to do, I had a few naysayers that didn't quite understand why I would

want to do this, but I truly devoted myself to this project and went

completely out of my comfort \zone to get it going.  I am a very shy

person at heart.  If you were to meet me, you wouldn't think so - but

inside myself I am EXTREMELY shy, so by starting this non profit

and opening myself up to alot of different people and explaining

what I was doing took alot of deep breaths on my part.  As much

as I adore my seniors that I visit often, it took awhile for them to

understand why I would do this.  A few times they'd ask "what are

you getting out of this?"  I'd say "it's filling my heart with joy and

meeting so many awesome seniors and listening to your life stories

are just about the best present I could ever receive."  I went into

this wanting to make a difference in their lives, to bring a smile or

a laugh and what it did was it changed my life.

All in all, when I saw this quote above - it made me just want

to shout from the rooftops - DON'T EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR

DREAMS!  Sometimes they turn out different then you have planned,

sometimes it takes many twists and turns and some tears mixed in with

the smiles and laughter.  But doing something you love is worth it!!

So there, I'll get off my soapbox now!

Carry on and have a beautiful week, everyone!

Do yourself a favor and share some kindness with

everyone that crosses your path
your life will never be the same!
I promise!

xxoo

(photo via here)

in the blink of an eye...

Life flies by.  When we're young we feel like we are immune to getting older, but before we know what has hit us - here we are.  I have a passion that involves seniors in the latter part of their lives.  Every week when I bring my movies to the assisted living homes - I learn something new, chat with someone new and catch up with my friends and if they're not around - I talk to the caregivers to check up on them.  They are my people that I adore.  Some are cranky (well alot of them are cranky) who wouldn't be - they've been taken out of their homes and told they have to live in this community with others that also have been displaced and sent to live out their lives in assisted living often due to illness or Alzheimers.  Family and friends come by often at first and then they trickle off leaving alot of these seniors alone with no one.  That was my main reason for starting the non profit - to let those seniors that are alone know that they have someone in their corner that cares about them, that they matter to someone.  I have been truly blessed to have met the most wonderful men & women and listen to their life stories, laugh with them, hold their hands and just listen.  Many are in and out of the hospital quite often, so when I go to visit, I often brace myself for the news that one of my friends will have died.  This happened on Saturday, but this particular woman, my friend Jane took me by surprise. Granted she was 86 years old - but aside from the beginning stages of Alzheimers she wasn't one of the ones that were in the hospital frequently.  She had a wonderful attitude about life, she laughed often and was very serious when she picked out which movies that her and her friends would watch. She loved her movies.  Her husband had been in the movie business and she had such wonderful memories of that time in their lives, long after he was gone.  Her friend Isobel came up to me to give me the news and I could just see the sadness in her eyes. Jane was her movie buddy and they were just getting ready to watch a movie when Isobel found her unconscious.  My heart broke not only for Jane's family,but for Isobel.  It's not often that people in assisted living find great friends but when they do it makes living there so much more bearable.  So I bid a fond farewell to Jane - she brightened alot of peoples lives including mine and I will cherish the time I spent with her.

Life is short - enjoy each moment and share a smile with someone!

xxoo

attitude of gratitude...

I have a friend named Rachel, who is 89 years old..I always

call her " my little friend, Rachel" as she is very tiny.

She lives in an assisted living home that I frequent with

my movies each week and she is the first one to meet

me with a huge smile. She writes a column in the assisted

living newspaper called Attiude of Gratitude. She is

on my mind this morning, as this has not been a good

year for her - she lost her 52 year old daughter to cancer,

her best friend, she herself has been in and out of the

hospital over 10 times this year and this last time she

had been in 3 weeks. She is now on oxygen and very

weak, but she wheeled herself out with her walker to

turn my movies in last Saturday and get a few more to

watch this week. She always has kind words, always looks

impeccable and is one amazing woman. She nursed

two husbands thru Alzheimers and their eventual

death and has had a myriad of things happen to

her over the years - but she chooses to have a

good attitude. She always gets mad when she

sees crabby people at the assisted living place,

because she says that could very well be her, but

she chooses to live with an attitude of gratitude.

She is losing her memory but one thing she always

says is " the good thing about losing my memory,

is that I can watch the same movies over and over

again and enjoy them like it was the first time."

This weekend, I kept hugging her and hugging her,

as I adore her and know that she is getting tired

and very weak, as she has a really bad heart.

She is one of my special hero's in life - no matter what life

throws at you, you can move on and enjoy it,

just like Rachel has! As my friend Bob,

at the same assisted living home would

say - DON'T JUST MAKE IT A GOOD

DAY, MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!

another wonderful holiday movie..

It Happened On 5th Avenue

This movie was recommended by one of my fabulous

senior friends that lives at an assisted living home

that I visit weekly to bring movies. I always ask

for movie recommendations and because of that

Everyday Matinees For Seniors has over 600

wonderful films. This movie is one that I really

enjoyed and definitely recommend!

I have a favor to ask...

I started Everyday Matinees For Seniors a few years ago. It is a non profit organization that brings movies on a weekly basis to seniors that live in assisted living homes and board & care homes. We let the seniors take as many movies as they'd like, it is free of charge to them - the only stipulation being that they return it. As we speak we have close to 600 movies. Most of the movies have been suggestions from the seniors themselves, so we have a wonderful collection of films - dramas, comedies, musicals, westerns, independent, foreign films and documentary's....I know you're probably saying to yourself, "alright already, Cathi - get to the point." My favor that I am asking of you is this - I would like some more suggestions of independent, foreign and old classic movies.. I welcome your input and suggestions with great anticipation! I am also getting together my holiday films, so please include those in your list - if you have any favorites! Thanks in advance, I would truly appreciate any and all suggestions! And my senior friends will love you too!

(photo via here)

A Little Song & Dance

To get your weekend started head on over to

Everyday Matinees For Seniors. It will make you want to dance,

and you can read all about an organization that is very near and dear to my heart. I dare your feet not to start tapping!