I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for McDonalds for
many years, dating back to a set of early Golden Arches near my childhood home.
I’m extremely grateful for all the Big Mac purchases over the years that lined
the pockets of Ray Kroc, so that his widow could leave a legacy gift to the
Salvation Army for the Kroc Center here in Ashland. But our friendship is on
rocky ground, for when I drove through McDonalds the other day to order soup
and a soft drink, the drive-through voice said, “You’re a senior citizen,
right?” Ouch!
Gray hair, check. Grandmother status, check. But I
am still not a card-carrying Golden Buckeye. While the years are creeping up on
me, I’m still in my fifties, and in my book, that’s not elderly. However, the
woman at the window (who looked at least as old as I do) explained that her
restaurant offers a senior discount to those fifty-five and up, so I saved a
dime on my Senior Coke. Woohoo!
That same night, I gathered with friends and family
of Josianne Stone to honor her as the June Metcalf Elder in Residence at the Salvation
Army Kroc Center. This particular program was birthed from the desire to
recognize the elders of Ashland, those willing to share their wisdom and giftedness
with our community, especially to the generations younger than theirs.
When we first explored the development of this
program, I did not know there is a group that calls themselves The Elders. They
are independent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer
their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help
address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of
humanity. While our honored elder is not a global leader like Jimmy Carter or
Desmond Tutu, her life story speaks of the same themes as these prominent world
elders, for as a young woman, she was part of the resistance to the Nazis in
Belgium during World War II.
Like many survivors of the horrors of war, Josianne seldom
talked about her experiences over the years, saying, “When the war was over, it
was over.” Yet when her grandson Lucas was in middle school, she was asked to
talk with his class about the war, the occupation, and the Holocaust, and the
years slipped away as she recounted the deprivation and fear of the people of
Belgium. Her words were so powerful that her family and friends encouraged her to
record her thoughts for future generations, available on a YouTube video called
the Josianne Stone Story.
In preparation for the Elder in Residence reception
for Josianne, coordinator Judy McLaughlin spent time in conversation at
Josianne’s home. As they chatted, Judy mentioned that her own father had lost
his life during World War II, and Josianne expressed her personal thanks for
the sacrifices that Americans made to defeat the Nazi forces and to secure
freedom for the people of Belgium. For Judy, those words provided a watershed
moment. As she said to Josianne on Tuesday evening, “Your expressed gratitude
moved me from a lifelong sadness to an understanding of what my loss meant to
you.”
Life didn’t stop at the war for Josianne, for she studied
fashion design in Paris and is an accomplished seamstress, a profession that
supported her when she first immigrated to the United States. She is also a
gifted artist, and though she didn’t take her first art class until 1984, she
took the advice of her instructor to “be prolific,” describing her art as “humbly
reproducing God’s creation.”
After being privileged to hear Josianne Stone’s story and to
witness the full life she continues to lead, I came to an aha! moment of my own:
if this is what it means to be a senior citizen, an elder of our community,
sign me up – even without the McDonalds’ discount! Thomas Carlyle understands: “Old
age is not a matter for sorrow. It is a matter for thanks if we have left our
work done behind us.” [Stone’s works are on display at the Kroc Center through
the end of November, with notecards available at Enjoy! in downtown Ashland].
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