This summer, I took a job at an assisted living facility as a personal care aide. I was hesitant to accept the position, and even after I had, I was fairly worried. I had never done this type of work before and I was afraid that it would be too much for me, and that I would ultimately be pretty bad at my job. I went through training, did the best I could, and ended up doing fairly well. I wasn’t perfect, and there were some days that went better than others, but I came to love my job, more than I ever thought I would. More than that, I came to love my residents, and as time went on, I came to see that this made all the difference.

Looking back now, I’m so thankful that I took the job. I honestly believe that it was what I was meant to do at the time. I learned so much this summer, not only things such as how to do bed to chair transfers, but things such as how to be a good listener and how to truly comfort someone. Some things I learned in training, while most of my knowledge came from getting to spend time with my residents, which is something I am so grateful for. I got the chance to get to know them, and listen to them talk about their lives and old memories. Time spent sitting and talking with them was some of the most valuable time I have spent, and I’m thankful for every single second.

I definitely wasn’t the best at my job. There were days where I felt like I couldn’t do a single thing right and I let everyone down. But on those days, I had to remind myself that this is a hard job, and I’m doing the best that I can. I reassured myself that the next day would be better, and typically, it was. There were even times when I had to stay late to finish up, because I had spent extra time talking with my residents. Still, I do not regret this, and I don’t think I ever will. Moments spent holding a resident’s hand as they are crying, or sitting with them for a few extra moments because they are lonely are invaluable moments. No amount of money put into a paycheck at the end of a night is worth as much as the time I got to spend with these people who I came to care for so very much.

When I think back now to the beginning of the summer, I can’t help but smile. There was no way I could have known then what an impact this job would have on me, but I’m so glad that I decided to take the chance. This summer, I have learned how to care for people physically and emotionally, and how to love people so much it hurts. On my last day of work for the summer, I couldn’t help but cry, knowing that I had to leave. I learned so much from the people I met, and I’m going to miss them every day until I get to go back. Frankly, I can’t wait.