i love volunteering at the local retirement home.

i went today, and i asked a retired schoolteacher what was the most important thing she had learned in life.

she responded with,

"how to love and to be loved. but you can't just be a giver of love, you have to be able to receive it too. there is no such thing as true one way love."

she's been with her high school boyfriend whom she met since she was thirteen up until now. (she compared him to kevin costner, but said if she ever met a denzel washington lookalike she would stop settling for costner and go for washington)

i love hearing people's stories. i love talking to adults and the elderly and just people who have quite a few years on me because of how much more experiences they have, how their different lifestyles growing up have affected them and have given them such a unique perspective. it's much easier for me to talk to them than it is to talk to teenagers and my own peers in my age group because we can be so closed off about those things - we keep our personal experiences close to the vest. and so do adults, but they are more willing to give advice.

at least, that's my take on it. hmm.

i'm glad i decided to do this again during summer. i kind of want to get a job there too.

-corleone