Aging Well: The Gift of Memories
Cathy Graham • November 19, 2020
I had to drag a chair into the room, but I was determined to do it. It had been over a decade since I used my daughters craft box from middle school. I was on a mission and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me. There I was on my tippy toes, on a chair, reaching well passed my finger tips to grab the plastic container full of riches. Finally I had enough oomph to pull it down and place it on the floor. My eyes got a little glassy as I wiped the dust off the top with my shirt sleeve. I opened the lid and the memories triggered tears. Happy tears at that. This box was one of the staples in raising my daughter. She is still wonderfully creative and a joyful learner as an adult. But today my mission has been inspired from a much different source, the pandemic.
Realizing that Christmas with my family will be mostly celebrated via ZOOM, I felt empty. When we were children, my siblings and I would use construction paper and Elmer’s glue to make paper chains that would go around the family Christmas tree. The chain was looped all the way around the tree from top to bottom. Then, the icicles were tossed on the evergreen for the finishing touch. It was quite the project as it often took up an entire afternoon and most of the evening to put our tree up. Years that we went overboard with our scissors and paper, our mom would hang the extra chains up over the windows and in the door frames. So festive, so simple, so us. Our whole family took part in decorating the tree. When we were finished, mom would shew us to our rooms to get ready for bed. Once our jammies were on we scurried back down the stairs where the Christmas tree was lit and quiet embers in the fireplace were glowing.
The recollection spurred me on. I was fixed on making each of my siblings, and my daughter and son-in-law, a paper chain of their own. As I started to cut to colorful paper into strips my mind swirled with an outpouring of adoration. Yes, these paper chains were made with love. I made six 8ft chains, and no two were alike. For each of my brothers and sisters I wrote a special note reciting a favorite antidote from our childhood. I was delighted when the project was completed. I carefully folded each paper chain and slipped it into a deep envelope. I took them to the post office for a personal send off.
I won’t see my family in person this Christmas, but they will each have a sweet paper chain of love that will bring us closer together.
Cathy Graham is the director of Graceful Aging Wellness Center, part of Bethlen Communities, in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and a District 3000–HRFA member. You can reach her at cgraham@bethlen.com.
As we move into the second quarter of another exciting year, I want to take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments and share some of the new initiatives we are implementing in the realms of sales, marketing and community engagement. Over the past year, GBU Life has reached significant milestones thanks to the dedication and hard work of our team and the trust and support of our members. Our sales department has exceeded targets, and we have expanded our reach to more communities than ever before. We have launched several successful marketing campaigns that have not only increased our visibility but have also strengthened our brand's presence in the industry. For this year, our focus will be educating potential new members on the importance of securing their financial futures through life insurance and annuity products while serving their communities as part of our great Society. Looking ahead, we are committed to enhancing our sales strategies to better serve you. We are introducing some tools for our agents to enhance our products. One new tool is our Defined Benefit Annuity program which combines the Future Flex Fixed Index Annuity (FIA) with a software tool that can help determine retirement savings needs and break them down into contributions over time to help you meet your retirement goals. Be sure to keep in touch with your GBU agent to review your plans and products to see how adding an FIA to your retirement planning can help boost your savings efforts
GBU members between the ages of three and nine years old can enter their colored page in this year's contest, which is themed Pawprints on My Heart. Three age categories will be judged as follows: Category I: Ages three and four Category II: Ages five and six Category III: Ages seven, eight and nine Entrants may use crayons, colored pencils, markers or watercolor paints. Entries will be accepted through Monday, August 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The picture on the next page can be reproduced, or copies can be obtained by calling the Community Engagement Team at the GBU Home Office (800-765-4428) or by printing the image above. Cash Prizes for Each Category First prize: $75 Second prize: $50 Third prize: $30 How to Enter Send the three- to nine-year-old GBU member's coloring contest entry with their name and address on the colored page to: GBU Life ATTN: Member Benefits 4254 Saw Mill Run Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15227-3394. Or email contest@gbu.org with "Coloring Contest Entry” as the subject line. General Information Judges reserve the right to accept or reject any or all entries. Their decisions will be final. Artwork will be handled at the GBU Home Office with the utmost care. GBU reserves the right to reproduce entries for whatever use it wishes, provided proper credit is given. Permission does not include the sale of such work.
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