"Oh, the places you’ll go!" – Dr. Seuss What exactly does place mean for each of us now? Where is your place in this evolving world? Finding your place, by definition, is being a part of something.  Like your place at the table, or each piece in a place setting or on a chess board, intentionally positioned in relation to the others.  To find your place in the world, it helps to first know yourself and then recognize the world and the people and places around you. Nearly 20 years ago, my yoga … [Read more...]

Dr. Sam Gandy

As the pandemic continues to isolate older adults (as a matter of health and safety) from their families and communities, Sweet Readers is connecting them with trained students through creative virtual visits and interactive programs. Everyone has been displaced somehow because of COVID-19 and, in some ways, this has broadened our common ground, making the timing better than ever to develop meaningful cross-generational relationships. Due to the pandemic, 22% of U.S. adults moved locations or … [Read more...]

Anna Pitts

In March I received the news that I would not be able to return to my college campus for the rest of the spring term. All of my belongings remain locked up in my dorm room and I still do not know when I will receive them! This year has definitely brought changes to my life that I never expected. I could not have guessed that I would spend the rest of 2020 taking online classes or that I still wouldn’t be able to go back to school in the fall. However, with all of these unexpected changes, Sweet … [Read more...]

Whitney

My time as a Sweet Readers pilot facilitator and Young Leader has allowed me to create so many amazing connections, and has been a truly uplifting experience. I was able to not only connect with my peers and the adults, but also to create a place for us all to converse and connect as a community. Through simple Zoom meetings I watched the adults open up about their inspiring and eventful lives. They talked about all the places and communities they have been a part of. I learned that Gene used … [Read more...]

Annabel Berney

Place. What is my place? Where do I belong? Now, more than ever, it is challenging to determine what our “place” is. Normally, my “place” would have been finishing my junior year of college, but instead, I found myself thrown back into family life, living at home with my parents and siblings. While physical place has become more fixed, “place” as in role has become more fluid. For example, at school my “place” is to be a student, with friends my “place” is to engage and have fun, and during … [Read more...]