The third day we worked at the Veteran's Hospital. Our responsibility was to provide comfort kits to the veteran’s that included toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and lotion. We were directed around the hospital by some hospital staff that showed us to whom we would hand each comfort kit. Among the veteran's receiving Comfort Kits was Minerva's Step-Father, who barely had the energy to say hi to us.The way most people’s face lit up when they saw a group of young adults taking time to help them is indelible in my memory. An interesting thing about the veteran’s hospital is that they refer to the patients as “residents”. “We want to make them feel as much at home as we possibly can” explained the physical trainer on staff. Since most of the day was spent delivering care packages, we weren't able to speak with the residents for as long as I would have liked. The most memorable quote from the day was delivered from Richard, a man born in New York City, but who decided to spend his later years in San Juan, Puerto Rico because New York City was “way too cold! (obviously he had never visited upstate NY)”. He explained how he lost his leg was blown off in Korea and then said that he didn’t plan on tangoing any time soon; he just wanted to walk again. Hearing him say that so cheerfully almost made me cry. It certainly put my life and my problems in perspective Here we are complaining about how school’s unfair, how it’s too cold, or how unreliable our camera, I-pod, etc. is and in San Juan’s veterans hospital there are many people who just want to walk again.
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