Notes with Nate: A Place of Rich Traditions

We are delighted to bring back one of our favorite traditions this year: experiencing the lilacs of Highland Park and enjoying the festival. Walking with residents through the fragrant hills of Highland Park is a delightful way to enjoy the bounty of nature and the rich history of Rochester. The sights of families at the festival, the tasty treats from vendors, and the lush smell of the blooming lilacs, are a delight to the senses for all who attend.

St. John’s Home has always been a place of rich traditions. In these past few years when so many of the traditions we hold dear were taken away by circumstance, the return of the familiar is more than sweet, it is sacred. While some elders may only spend a few months living with us, others have been a part of our community for nearly a decade or more. Regardless of the time, an aspect of how we welcome people is to bring them into the traditions that shape us.  As those traditions build back to what we know, we continue to welcome residents, families, and staff members into those shared experiences that get passed down, year by year, person by person, to include us all in the family of St. John’s.

While some of our traditions are not quite back yet, or not quite back to how we fully like to experience them, we know that they will return. Much like the lilacs that surround us, the traditions have deep roots and when the time and conditions are right, they bloom in a way that welcomes people to come and be a part of history. Some of the lilacs are older than our oldest residents and many more that have been recently planted, will outlive all of us by decades.

Just like the traditions that bind us, the growth and development of these lilac bushes help us to know that we are part of something larger here in Rochester and that Highland Park is something worth both celebrating now and preserving for those who will need it in the future.