I stopped by a nursing home to drop off some donated blankets and noticed a group of residents gathered around a young woman. She was listening intently, jotting notes into a small journal as they spoke.
“She comes every week,” a nurse whispered. “None of them are her family.”
Curious, I asked the young woman why she was there. She told me many residents had no visitors and struggled with fading memories. She volunteers to sit with them, hear their stories, and write down their names and memories so they aren’t lost.
“They might not remember tomorrow,” she said softly, “but today, they get to feel seen and heard.”
It’s incredible how much love a stranger can give — simply by listening.