Glenvale Park opened its doors on the 18^{th of} April and we began welcoming residents from day one. It has been a wonderful couple of weeks, getting to know each other and sharing life stories, it has been a magical time.

Throughout everyday life the paths of our residents and of our team members would almost never have crossed. We would not have had the chance to hear first-hand accounts of evacuations, of wartime weddings, and of the community spirit that has made this generation the people they are today. There are very few opportunities in life for cross generational interactions and we never take ours for granted. Our residents have wisdom to impart, and we are extremely fortunate to be able to benefit from it.

One of the first residents to move into Glenvale Park was Sheila; Sheila and her husband Brian have been married for a lifetime and over the years they have spent little time apart. When Sheila moved in Brian was in hospital, and it was clear that Sheila was missing having him by her side. Over the past week Sheila has shared with us some wonderful stories, tales of romance and love, of family and fun, she painted for us a mental picture of Brian and we were all looking forward to the day we would get to meet him for ourselves.

Yesterday that day finally arrived and what an emotional day it was. There were cheers from the team as Brian appeared from the ambulance, we stood back to allow Sheila and Brian their special moment, and as Sheila hugged Brian, we could all feel the love around us, it was there on their faces for all to see, it was in their smiles and in their tears. It was a uniquely beautiful moment, and we were honoured to have been a part of it.

Life slows down as we age, and this is often considered a hindrance, however in truth, it is only when we take time and slow down, that we notice the beautiful moments such as this and are reminded just how wonderful life can be.