gordon

i met him on my first day at my first long-term care home at my first job as a music therapist. he was one of the first residents i really talked to and i could tell he was one of the "good ones". i don't know if it was because of his love of music and chinese food, coupled by the fact that i was both a musician and chinese, but whatever it was, we really connected from the very beginning.

he was a silly guy who loved music, animals, the outdoors, sports, and (up until he had his first stroke) singing and playing his hawaiian steel guitar which he talked about frequently. he was kind and brave, having served our country for six years, but despite whatever horrible things he saw overseas, he came out of his experience with his heart and humour intact.

he was gordon - a great man and my favourite resident - and i always looked forward to seeing him whenever i went to this particular home. our sessions together were always full of laughter, singing, great conversations, music, good times, and time always seemed to pass quickly.

sadly i found out this morning that he passed away yesterday, just shy of his 89th birthday. even though he wasn't the first of my residents to pass on, the news of his death has hit me harder than the others. i only hope that i was able to impact his life in some way or another for the past two years that i knew him, because he certainly made an impression on mine.

rip gordon - even though you're gone now you'll always be my favourite resident. you will be missed.