Rudyard Kipling was a successful writer, leaving a sizable estate upon his death. A newspaper reporter came up to him once and said, ”Mr. Kipling, I read somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over $100 a word.” Mr. Kipling raised his eyebrows and said, ”I certainly wasn’t aware of that.” The reporter cynically reached into his pocket, pulled out a $100 bill, gave it to Kipling and said, ”Here’s a $100 bill. Now you give me one of your $100 words.” Kipling looked at the $100 bill, took it, put it in his pocket, and said ”Thanks.” The word ”thanks” was certainly a $100 word then, and it is more like a million dollar word now, one that is too seldom heard, too rarely spoken, and too often forgotten.

When I was growing up, children were expected to write thank you notes for every gift. From the time I learned to write, “thank you” became a staple in my vocabulary. Sometimes notes were written for gifts I found to be wonderful, and sometimes they were written tongue-in-cheek for gifts under-appreciated, such as handkerchiefs! It was in my adult years that I came to understand the distinction between “thanks” and “gratitude.” Up into my early forties, I believed I had worked my way through college – with jobs on the Cape over summers and holidays along with four jobs in college. Based on the amount I worked, my truth was that “I worked my way through college” because my parents were unable to help with college expenses. I had my comeuppance the day I remembered my two aunts who provided funding for me each year, my father’s best friend who gave me a check toward tuition every semester, and the two scholarships over four years from the Federated Church of Orleans and the Eastern Star. Adding all those up, I realized that my earnings were meager in comparison! It was only when I remembered the generous persons in my life that I understood the meaning of gratitude, and I hold those faces close in my heart.

In the Harry Potter novels, there are characters called dementors – dark spirits – that come into a room and suck every bit of life, enthusiasm and hope out of all present. While the good news is that chocolate is the antidote, the dementors’ presence drags everyone down. Over the years, I’ve come to understand that there are a few dementors everywhere, those who seem ungrateful and angry with life and leave us sucked dry of enthusiasm and hope. While I suppose we should always carry a little chocolate, just in case, dementors remind us that gratitude is a much healthier quality to embody.

An article in Psychology Today listed some characteristics of grateful people, including (1) they feel a sense of abundance in their lives, (2) they appreciate the contributions of others to their well-being, (3) they recognize and enjoy life’s small pleasures and (4) they acknowledge the importance of experiencing and expressing gratitude.

As Thanksgiving grows near, gratitude is brought to the forefront of our minds. This season, let us all fill our hearts with gratitude for all the wonders, both big and small, that this life brings us.

-Chaplain Sparrow

On November 11, 1919, the first observance of Veterans Day, President Woodrow Wilson expressed the following sentiment: “To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day (Veterans Day) will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”

In 1926, Congress called for the annual observance of Veterans Day, and in 1938, the day was made a legal holiday. From that day forward, November 11 has been a day to honor all the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces and to thank them for their dedication to our nation.

According to the most recent census, there are 18.5 million veterans in the U.S., at least 38 of whom live at Plymouth Harbor and 4 of whom are board members. Here are three of their stories:

After graduating from Vassar College in 1944, resident Sallie VanArsdale joined the women’s division of the United States Navy as part of W.A.V.E.S.: Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. After nine weeks of officer training followed by eight weeks of supply corps training, she was stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. For 22 months during World War II, Sallie ordered supplies that were needed to build and repair naval ships docked at the port. “It was an entirely different life than I had ever lived before,” Sallie said. “Seeing the whole place in operation and being a part of it all was very exciting. The whole country was totally unified.”

Colonel Jamo C. Powell, another resident, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery from Texas A&M University in May 1958 and went on to serve 30 years of active duty. His military career was extensive: He served as a Major during the Vietnam War; commanded the 2nd Battalion, 6th Artillery Regiment in Gelnhausen, Germany; and served as a staff officer at the Pentagon in the Department of the Army. His final assignment before retirement was Deputy Chief of Staff and Personnel for the 2nd United States Army in Atlanta, Georgia.

Colonel Dale Woodling, Plymouth Harbor board member, was a judge advocate general and served in the United States Army for 28 years. He and his wife, who was a nurse, both expected to only serve for one assignment, but it turned into a career. Woodling has dealt with all types of legal matters, ranging from courts-martial to environmental law, and ended his career as Commander of the U.S. Army Claims Service.

Thank you to all of our Plymouth Harbor veterans:
Asterisks denote our board members.

Air Force
Terry Aldrich
H. Graham Barkhuff
Thomas H. Belcher
Lawrence E. Coffey
Irwin Eisenfeld
Duncan Finlay*
Leon Gainsboro
Allen Jennings
Jack Kidd
Don MacLean
Jay Price*
Arthur Sandler

Army
Martin Abrahams
Al Balaban
Robert Barkley
Bill Brackett
Tom Bulthuis
Richard P. Carroll
Richard Cooley
John Cranor III*
Jack Denison
Tom Elliott
Jerry Hamovit
Gregory Hetter
Bill Johnston
Sidney Katz
Tom Luebbe
Francis O’Brien
Jamo C. Powell
Tom Towler
Clifford Tuttle
Dale Woodling*

Coast Guard
Carl P. Denney

Marine Corps
David A. Beliles
Harold Dombrowski
Ky Thompson
Douglas West

Navy
Jim Ahstrom
Medora Dashiell
Arthur Davidson
Tom Goddard
James J. Griffith
Donald Hackel
Richard J. March
William A. Stanford
Jim Stern
Sallie VanArsdale
John Williams

We did our best to identify all Plymouth Harbor veterans. We know it is possible that some were missed, and we apologize for any who were missed.

The courtyards in the Northwest Garden were designed specifically as a welcoming and social area for each neighborhood. The courtyards provide an opportunity for a safe, secure outdoor experience for residents and their family members. Whether a sunny stroll, a social visit, or just to sit and reflect next to the water features, the courtyard gardens provide a wonderful outdoor experience.

The Seaside Courtyard is open to all, and is accessed from the Bridge (pathway from the Lobby to the entrance of the Starr Memory Care Residence). The water feature is a main focal point in the courtyard, with the soothing sounds of water splashing down the tiles, and is surrounded by beautiful plantings and pavers. The seating areas offer conversation spaces under the large four-canopy umbrella. Elegant lighting along the pathways and the seating areas makes way for pleasant visits during the day or night. Other special features include kinetic art that swirls with the wind, and musical instruments that makes beautiful tones when tinged. Going into the busy season and the cooler temperatures, we will see more and more people taking advantage of this beautiful courtyard garden, which was supported by Barry and Phil Starr during our “A Commitment to Memory” capital campaign.

The Lido and Ringling Memory Care neighborhoods each offer their own private courtyards with similar features, including beautifully lush plantings and pavers. The Lido Courtyard, supported by Carol and Morton Siegler, offers a beautiful tiled water feature, the Harp musical instrument, and two kinetic art pieces. The Ringling Courtyard, supported by a gift from the estate of Joan Runge, features a water cauldron with soothing sounds, the Griffin musical instrument, and two ‘Desert Flower’ kinetic art pieces that twirl in the breeze. Both courtyards have teak tables and chairs that are nicely positioned under the canopy umbrella for daytime use, and soft lighting suggests a cozy area for nighttime relaxation. Many life enrichment activities take place in the courtyards.

Future plans for the Lido and Ringling Courtyards include raised gardens for resident participation and soft piped-in music. We look forward to hosting more life enrichment activities and events in the cooler weather this fall and winter.