Enjoy Barbara Forshner's Blog..."Life is Bluetiful When..."
My dear friend and mentor has asked me to write about what "Life is Bluetiful" means to me.
I have had to pause and think. My life has changed a lot over these last 4 years. My roles that were defined for me are not the same. Mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, co-worker...some have changed and some no longer exist. The fact that we have the ability to re-invent and re-define ourselves is what makes life Bluetiful...
Life was not Bluetiful when I lost some of these roles and tried to come to terms with that. I am still coming to terms with that. I think life has many shades of "Bluetiful"... some days are a very vibrant blue and some days a little paler in color.
I, like most, am trying each day to find my Bluetiful.
Life is Bluetiful when I am with my mother and daughter..3 generations of OY Vey!!!
Life was not so Bluetiful when we lost the sweetest man ever. A Holocaust survivor who always had a smile on his face. My Dad was the most "Bluetiful" person around. His impact on all that were fortunate enough to be touched by his good nature and smile and positive attitude is an example of life being Bluetiful.
Life is Bluetiful when my good friends, some old and some new or just passing through are there to help me celebrate and support me during the good, the bad, and the ugly moments.
Life is Bluetiful when I know I can call my oldest friend morning, noon and night and she will always be there for me as has been for 44 years. She holds my hand from far away and never lets me feel alone.
I have a most important friend who always tells me I am a" GITTA NESHUMA" which means "good soul" in Yiddish. His admiration and respect makes my life Bluetiful. He always makes me laugh which is quite bluetiful..it is a rare gift and one never to be underestimated.
Perhaps that is why my life has brought me to healthcare. Experiencing my grandfather being treated with disrespect in a nursing home broke my soul. My grandfather, who was my hero was not being treated with dignity. This proud man who wore a suit everyday, even though I do not really remember him ever working, was treated as if he were a person with no feelings. He did have his faculties and knew exactly what was happening. In that moment, unbeknowns to me, it became my mission to be an advocate for the elderly or those in crisis. They need a voice, as do their families, weaving through the complicated maze of healthcare. From a Nursing Home to an Assisted Living to Home Health Care and now as part of the Artis Family,
it is my responsibility and wish to help make the elderly have a bluetiful life. As the Director of Community Relations for this new Artis Memory Care Assisted Living building in Princeton Junction, families are relying on me and the rest of our team to assist them on a journey they did not opt for...their loved one having memory issues and perhaps not even recognizing them...
I feel my team of "GITTA NISHUMA" make Life BLUETIFUL for everyone we touch day by day...
About Barbara Forshner...
Barbara Forshner has worked with seniors and their families in Nursing Home, Assisted Living and Home Care settings. She is passionate about the work she does. She currently is working at Artis of Princeton Junction, a new memory care community. Barbara and Allison met through work and have been friends for 7 years.
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